Mukul lambasts regional parties for supporting BJP on CAB

SHILLONG: Opposition leader Mukul Sangma has hit out at the UDP and other parties accusing them of being hand in glove with the conspirators, the BJP.
In a statement issued here, Sangma, who is also the chairman of North East Congress Coordination Committee (NECCC), said the parties are making an attempt “to impress our people that they are the messiah and the protectors of our indigenous people through their well orchestrated bluff.”
The former chief minister asserted that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the BJP and the saffron party allies, including Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, on July 19, 2016 and that the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) had discussed CAB in its meeting on June 24, 2016.
“Is it not a fact that the NPP and the UDP were in deep slumber and woke up suddenly only when the people of the NE region came to the streets to stop CAB from becoming an Act?” he remarked.
Accusing BJP of dictatorial rule, Sangma said the party-led NDA government bulldozed the CAB in the Lok Sabha in spite of strong protests from the Northeastern states.
He asserted that the NPP and other regional parties were not given an audience by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while they were making attempts to meet him about the CAB.
“Now with the BJP’s determination to bring back CAB, will the NPP or the UDP be capable of stopping Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the BJP?” Sangma asked.
He further attacked the NPP and UDP for plotting with BJP to strengthen the party and to demolish Congress government.
“Is it not a fact that both the NPP and the UDP continued to remain with the BJP- led NEDA and are still in the government with the BJP?” he added.
The Congress leader further said the NPP and UDP are helping the BJP in increasing its strength in Rajya Sabha. He said the NPP had helped the saffron party to increase its strength in the upper House by electing one more BJP MP.
Countering the allegations that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has included CAB in its election manifesto, Sangma said the party will not do it.
He said the CAB has been discussed by the manifesto committee and final discussion was also held in a meeting with Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
Sangma said, “The party will include the CAB in its manifesto wherein it will be indicated with complete clarity that the INC will stop further consideration of CAB and defend the people of the North East.”
He informed that he is leading the sub- group on “regional issues, migration and immigration issues, state-centre relations and border issues.”
Sangma further said that Gandhi will address a Congress rally on Wednesday in Guwahati on the invitation of the NECCC.