By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 13: The BJP’s state unit on Wednesday said it stands for complete exemption of Meghalaya from the purview of controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The party said it will pursue the matter with its central leadership.
“We are equally concerned and we want full exemption of not just Meghalaya but all states in the Northeast,” senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister AL Hek said.
He emphasised that the exemption should apply universally, regardless of whether an area in the Northeast comes under the Sixth Schedule.
“We will have to take it up with the Centre in the interest of the state. We cannot just stay mum on the issue,” he added.
Calling upon the leaders of all political parties to come forward, he said, “Whichever political party we belong to, our concern is the people. They are more important than anyone else.”
Asked if the Centre’s move to come out with the CAA rules just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections will affect the BJP’s poll prospects in Meghalaya, Hek said, “We are asking for an exemption for Meghalaya. Once we get it, it will give us more advantage.”
Meanwhile, BJP’s South Shillong MLA, Sanbor Shullai has urged the people not to be misled by any misinformation campaign by any political party since the CAA rules notified by the Union government clearly specifies that the Sixth Scheduled areas, which includes Meghalaya, are exempted from its purview.
According to Shullai, the Congress had earlier amended the Citizenship Act of 1955 but there was no exemption for the tribal areas; however the BJP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exempted the tribal areas from the CAA. “The CAA clearly specifies that only those who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, and who have completed a minimum period of stay for not less than five years will be considered. So, considering the clause, the exemption is only for pending applications and for those who have entered India prior to 2014 and have stayed in the same locality for not less than 5 years,” he said.
Shullai claimed that the village councils, welfare societies and other respectable organisations in the non-scheduled areas in Shillong have made it clear that they have not come across any such application submitted prior to 2014.
“So, it is crystal clear that the CAA has no bearing in Meghalaya,” he added.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah should be lauded for including the Christian community under the CAA 2019 since prosecuted Christians from Pakistan and Afghanistan will benefit from this Act.