SHILLONG: Leader of the Opposition, Mukul Sangma, has lambasted the BJP over its attempt to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Speaking to The Shillong Times here on Monday, Sangma said that the saffron party is trying to adopt an anti-people agenda.
“Is this not going to destroy the nation when one part of it will be subjected to some kind of chaotic situation,” he said while recalling the agonising experience of the anti- foreigners movement in the North East which had led to the loss of many lives.
Reiterating that the bill will create another Pakistan bordering Assam and Meghalaya, he said that there will be an adverse fallout from the geo-political perspective.
Asserting that the Congress and other political parties will defeat the bill in the Rajya Sabha, he said that now India has a friendly neighbourhood, but if the bill becomes law then the situation will reverse.
He said that such a legislation will provoke and encourage vested interests in Bangladesh to take advantage of the situation and force “our people who are well established there to leave by capturing their businesses and assets”.
He also said that the tribals in Bangladesh form a part of the electorate and political parties are moderate towards them, but if this bill is passed, they would be driven by fundamentalist ideologies and there will be a Pakistan-like situation.
Meanwhile, Sangma also slammed the partners of the BJP on the matter saying, “People who are their partners and who are instrumental in trying to get this bill cleared in Rajya Sabha are now shedding crocodile tears to save themselves from the people’s wrath,” Sangma added.
The bill, which has been vehemently opposed in the region, will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill.
RSS appeasement
UDP leader Allan Dkhar said that despite the widespread protests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen to push the bill probably to appease the RSS.
PDF leader Hamlet Dohling said he has personally spoken to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and has urged him not to move to pass the bill.
“If this bill is passed, it will be an insult to the people of the state and the region and in a democracy, our voices should also be heard,” he added.
