Meghalaya chief minister and NPP leader, Conrad K Sangma on Friday stated that he was ready to take ‘tough and final decision, in case the Centre did not drop the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.
Talking to the media in New Delhi after his meeting with the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, the CM of Meghalaya said it was time for Chief Ministers of all the NE states to get united irrespective of party affiliation , against the CItizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Conrad Sangma and his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga on Friday met the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh to apprise the latter of the opposition registered in their states against the Citizenship Bill.
Conrad Sangma, in fact, led a delegation of nine cabinet ministers in the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government to New Delhi to apprise the Union leaders of the raging protest in Meghalaya and the rest of the Northeast against the Bill that was passed by Lok Sabha on January 8 last.
The BJP is one of the constituents of the ruling MDA led by the NPP.
Sources informed that Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured the delegations that he would meet all the chief ministers of the Northeastern states to discuss the issue over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.
The Home Minister is likely to convey through the N-E chief ministers that rights of the indigenous communities in the region would be protected under any circumstances.
Mizoram chief minister, Zoramthanga has already stated that the people of Mizoram are opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Also read: People of Mizoram oppose Citizenship Bill: Zoramthanga tells Modi
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh have already met Rajnath Singh earlier this week over the Citizenship Bill as the protest was raging in both the states against it. Manipur chief minister has reportedly requested the Union government to keep Manipur out of the purview of the Bill.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has tried to ally apprehension prevailing in the minds of people in Assam valley saying that Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will not affect the indigenous populace in the state as his government would ensure safeguard of rights of indigenous populace as is the case in neighbouring Mizoram.
