SHILLONG: Allaying fears of the Northeastern region, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, Rakesh Sinha, on Wednesday said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) is a pro-people agenda of the saffron party.
Addressing a press conference here, Sinha said the party’s policy is not to harm the people, but to strengthen and protect the indigenous people, protect their culture and value and their economic and political rights.
“BJP is bringing the law to protect the common people and masses, it is not against the people, it is pro-people agenda of the party, it is pro-national agenda of the party,” he said.
He said that in a democracy , people have the right to point things out but the basic principle on which this (CAB) has been based is very correct, genuine and the party is very firm on that.
It may be mentioned that the plan of the BJP to introduce CAB has been vehemently opposed by NGOs and people of the region.
The MP said, “You see there is a micro policy and there is a macro policy. When it gets implemented then things are on the basis of context, time and place. These three things are very important and the party has a stated policy and that policy is a micro policy when it comes to particular people and state. So nobody has to fear anything as interest of the people would be protected at any cost under the Narendra Modi regime.”
On the demand to exempt NE from CAB, he said “This policy is in parliament so whatever home minister (Amit Shah) had stated I stand by him. The party will take a decision after deliberations,” he said.
Article 370
Sinha said the Centre is committed to protect the interest of the North East and there is no cause for worry after the repeal of Article 370.
He said the special privilege under Article 370 was never absolute and it was the Congress which had made it a permanent feature.
The MP said Article 35A was discriminatory in nature hence it was also repealed.
He is of the view that the issue of repealing of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir would be the reason for disintegration of Congress in the country.
“Article 370 is the last nail in the coffin for Congress,” Sinha said.
Talking about the Article, he said that national interest should be the priority of every political party but Congress is giving perspectives which are not dissimilar to Pakistan’s and which is dangerous for the nation.
He said that Pakistan has been isolated globally over the issue and Congress is opposing the move while people in Jammu and Kashmir are happy.
He also said that other political parties in the country, including AAP and BSP, have hailed the decision of the Centre.
