Union home minister Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah will visit Aizawl on October 5 next to discuss on contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Assam finance minister and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma said this at a Jan Jagran Sabha in Silchar on Monday.

Sarma said that the Citizenship Bill is likely to be passed in the parliament in November this year.

“We are committed in getting this bill passed as it is at the top of the list of our election manifesto, but for doing so, all political parties, especially that of the regional parties of various Northeastern states, who are opposing it, must have to be taken into confidence,” said Sarma.

“If we bring the CAB keeping the regional interest in mind, no one should oppose it. If we say the CAB would be out of bounds of Meghalaya or Mizoram’s 6th Schedule, why someone from these states should oppose it.

“If Inner Line Permit (ILP) is not tampered with, why should anyone oppose the CAB from being passed in parliament?” he said.

Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Mizoram on October 5 assumes significance as Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga in a conclave on September 9 in Guwahati reiterated his opposition to the bill.

“All political parties that have supported the contentious bill, are on the verge of ‘committing suicide’,” Zoramthanga had said in the presence of Shah.

Aniruddha Laskar is the Chief of Bureau, South Assam &and Mizoram. He can be reached at - [email protected]