CAB certain with exemptions in NE
NEWDELHI: Meghalaya on Saturday resolved to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) even as the Centre appeared determined to go ahead with it. It might, however, exclude the areas under Sixth Schedule in Meghalaya and other Northeastern states.
The Centre’s firm stand comes despite stiff opposition in the northeast from various quarters during the meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday.
Shah held discussions with the leaders of political parties, student bodies and civil society groups of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on the contours of the proposed CAB. Chief Ministers of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh – Conrad Sangma, Sarbananda Sonowal
and Pema Khandu respectively, union minister Kiren Rijiju and several MPs attended the meetings separately.
Conrad submitted a resolution to the home minister opposing the CAB.
The resolution said,“The stakeholders comprising political parties, autonomous district councils and civil societies have met and resolved to oppose the CAB in Meghalaya.”
The home minister should accept the resolution in the interest of the people of Meghalaya, Conrad said.
The resolution was signed by the chief minister, ministers, leaders of UDP, HSPDP, PDF, representatives of ADCs, Khasi Students Union, Garo Students Union and others. The main objection was that the CAB will affect the indigenous people and tribals of Northeast by changing the demographic profile of the entire region.
Shah is learnt to have indicated to them that the CAB may not affect the tribal areas protected by ILP regime and those who are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. But there were not many takers for the home minister’s arguments.
New bill to protect NE: Himanta
Assam Minister and NEDA Chairman Himanta Biswa Sarma said even though most of the civil society groups had opposed the earlier bill, the new redrafted bill will ensure that the interests of the ILP- regime areas and the Sixth Schedule areas are protected.
Sarma also said a separate legislation may be brought on the recommendations of a committee set up by the home ministry to look into the options of providing constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam.
The Congress, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a few other political parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill, claiming that citizenship can’t be given on the basis of religion. 12 non-BJP members of Parliament from the North East belonging to both the Houses had sent a letter to the Prime Minister opposing the CAB.
The bill will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of all illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. According to the previous bill, those who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, will benefit from the proposed legislation after it becomes an act. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha but had lapsed following its dissolution. Government will be introducing the bill again in the winter session of Parliament after the last round of meeting and there is also a possibility to make changes.