Home minister thanks Conrad for raising NRC, CAB concerns at NEDA conclave
GUWAHATI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday allayed all concerns and apprehensions regarding NRC and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, clarifying that the Centre would never tinker with a special provision such as Article 371 or allow any legislation that over-rides tribal laws, local Acts or the inner line permit (ILP), in the North East.
Speaking at the 4th Conclave of North East Democratic Alliance here on Monday, Shah also thanked Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma for bringing up at the forum the North East’s concerns over NRC and CAB as threats to the indigenous identity and culture of the region.
“Let me make it very clear that Article 371 is a special provision which cannot be taken away from the North East,” the Home minister said.
On NRC, Shah said there have been concerns in Assam about wrongful exclusions and inclusions while the other states of the region are worried about illegal immigrants (excluded from NRC) entering their states.
“Here I again reiterate that no infiltrator (ghuspethiya) will be allowed to stay back in Assam or enter other states of the North East and country. We want to free not only Assam but the entire North East and country from infiltrators. We are working out a plan to take all the states into confidence,” he said.
Praising the Meghalaya chief minister for raising concerns of North East in the wake of the Centre’s plan to pass CAB, Shah said, “It is good that Sangma ji has raised concerns in a forum like this. Sangma ji not only speaks loudly and thinks minutely but clearly as well. Here I would like to state that CAB will not interfere with tribal laws that protect the identity and culture of the Northeastern states.”
Regarding the cut-off date in regard to CAB, Shah said, “The cut-off date of December 31, 2014 is clear in our mind.”
Earlier, Conrad Sangma, who was the first North East chief minister to take the dais at the NEDA conclave, presented a “speech from the heart” while underlining concerns of the region and Meghalaya over the developments in the wake of the NRC fallout and uncertainty over what the CAB might have in store for the state.
Sangma said the Centre needed to clarify in no uncertain terms whether the local laws and Acts of the Northeastern states would be overlapped by the CAB if and when it comes into effect.
The BJP-led government had made its intention clear to put CAB into force by 2020.
“Issues related to NRC and CAB have affected North East. We want to know whether the laws of the region will be bypassed by the central government if CAB is passed. We are worried in this regard as here we have the Sixth Schedule, ILP and the Residents Safety Act, among others, in my state, ) Meghalaya,” Sangma said.
Referring to the NRC in Assam, the chief minister openly expressed his apprehension and fear that a good chunk of the over 19 lakh discarded from the citizens list might sneak into Meghalaya from the neighbouring state.
Sangma urged the home minister not to overlook North East’s interests while taking decisions even as he thanked the present dispensation for the respect given to North East leaders in stark contrast with the past, and mutual cooperation through the NEDA parivaar (family).
He further cited an instance referring to the camaraderie of leaders and parties under NEDA as to how he as the chief minister consults his partners in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance before taking any decision in the state. “All partners in a coalition have to be respected. Likewise, all parties under NEDA have to be respected across the country,” Sangma said.
The chief minister also suggested that the NEDA meetings should be held more than once a year as there are many issues such as border, coordination, development, trade, et al, that need constant discussion and deliberation.
“Leaders and parties of the North East should be invited by the Centre for discussions to find solutions to the long pending border problem among other issues plaguing the region,” he said.
Sangma further said there should not be any room for complacency now that the region is ruled by chief ministers from non-Congress parties.
“We must make use of the NEDA platform to overcome all challenges and not only make all the North East states developed but to go beyond and make the region a prosperous part of the country,” he said.