SHILLONG: Senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister AL Hek on Wednesday said implementation of the Citizenship Act, 1955 as and when amended as per the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill should be left to the discretion of the states.
The bill, which faced severe opposition in the North East, was passed in the Lok Sabha, but the government finally did not bring it to the Rajya Sabha leading to its lapse.
The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for Indian citizenship.
Talking to media persons here, Hek said if the BJP goes ahead and amends the Citizenship Act based on the CAB, he would tell the party’s national leaders to make it a state subject and allow states to handle it the way they want.
The issue of CAB is yet to die out since the BJP in its manifesto has maintained that they would bring back the bill if they return to power at the Centre.
Acknowledging that the CAB issue did build up pressure on the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls and Selsella Assembly by-poll in the state, Hek said, “I won’t deny the pressure, but people are in favour of the BJP despite it”.
He also said that the party had worked hard and received a positive response. “I hope we will get to enjoy victory,” he added.
To a query whether the BJP contested the polls just to test the waters, Hek said that BJP is a national party and should contest all elections.
“It is not any ceremonial contest, we want to win the seats,” he said.
The BJP put up South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, Rikman G Momin for the Tura Lok Sabha seat and Adorsho Sangma for the Selsella Assembly by-poll.
Hek hopeful of BJP-led govt
State BJP leader and Cabinet Minister AL Hek is hopeful of the party leading the government at the Centre after the polls though with reduced numbers.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Hek said. “Though the number of MPs will come down, the BJP will fare better than any other party in the elections”, Hek said.
He also claimed that the BJP will win the seat in Shillong.
