GUWAHATI: Making the BJP-led NDA government’s intention of enacting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 clear, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused opposition political parties especially the Congress of fuelling protest against the Bill through a misinformation campaign.
Addressing a massive rally at Changsari near here, Prime Minister Modi said, “There is a difference between infiltration by those who want to have a stranglehold of the country and migration of those who had to flee to India to escape religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.”
“The Citizenship Bill is not linked only to Assam and the rest of Northeast, but to all those who have been residing in all over the country after having to flee their countries because of persecution. All these people were part of India in 1947 and before partition,” Modi said assuring that no harm will be allowed to be caused to Assam and the rest of the N-E because of the Citizenship Bill.
“Citizenship is granted to someone after a thorough examination process and with the consent of the respective state government,” he said while stating that the BJP-led NDA government was fully committed to protect the identity and rights of indigenous people of Assam and the rest of Northeast.
Referring to another contentious and raging issue over the BJP government’s move to accord ST status to six communities in Assam – Tai-Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshis and Tea Tribes –the Prime Minister said that ST status would be granted to these six communities without depriving the existing ST communities in Assam of the rights and privileges they were now enjoying.
He also pledged to implement the 35-year-old Assam Accord including the vital Clause 6 in toto by the BJP-led government while accusing the previous governments including those of the Congress for overlooking the need to implement Assam Accord for the last 35 years even though it had been signed in 1985.
The Prime Minister accused the opposition political parties led by Congress of being focused only on “attack Modi’ campaign instead of issues related to development and welfare o the people of the country.
He ridiculed the much-talked about opposition grand alliance as “maha milawat” -an alliance of corrupt political parties – which has nothing to talk about except ‘attacking Modi’.
Before addressing the massive rally here, the PM laid the foundation of slew of projects including North East Gas Grid , City Gas Distribution Networks in Kamrup, Cachar, Hailakandi & Karimganj districts, Hollong Modular Gas Processing Plant in Tinsukia, NRL Bio Refinery at Numaligarh and a 729 km gas pipeline from Barauni – Guwahati passing through Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim & Assam.
He also inaugurated LPG Capacity Augmentation of Mounted Storage Vessel in North Guwahati.