The crusade against the controversial citizenship bill found new momentum in Mizoram after State Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla on Friday had slammed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and termed the bill as an attempt to grant citizenship to a particular religious community from outside the country.
Addressing a political session at Congress Bhawan in Aizawl, Lal Thanhawla hit out with at the BJP-led Central government alleging that it has no ‘real intention’ of according citizenship to Muslim and Christian migrants.
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“The proposed citizenship bill is an attempt to grant citizenship to illegal migrants from the minority communities especially the Hindus from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who entered India and stayed in the country for six years. The Central government has no real intention of covering Muslim and Christian minorities under the bill,” Lal Thanhawla said.
He said that his government has been strongly opposing the bill right from the beginning.
Lal Thanhawla further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have not fulfilled any of their promises. He also slammed the BJP government for being indifferent to the plight of farmers.
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Earlier, Mizoram’s apex student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) president L Ramdinliana Renthlei said the bill, if passed would surely have demographic impact on Mizos as Mizoram harbours many illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee, a conglomerate of all civil society organizations in the State had earlier submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the Joint Parliamentary Committee for Citizenship (Amendment) Bill informing their opposition to the proposed bill.
On the other hand, a meeting of all the civil society organizations, Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomeration of major churches in Mizoram and all political parties except Mizo National Front (MNF) was convened on Thursday under the chairmanship of Mizoram Law and Judicial minister, Lalsawta at Aizawl.
The meeting asked the State Government to make its stand clear on the citizenship bill.