The Nagaland cabinet has decided to oppose any amendment to the Citizenship Act of 1955 if the proposed amendment goes against the interests of the Nagas and take up any such issues with the government of India, an official release said on Wednesday evening.
The cabinet deliberated on the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill of the Centre at a meeting in Kohima on Tuesday while pointing that Nagaland is protected under Article 371(A) of the Constitution and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) Regulations.
The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio is an ally of BJP in the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance government in the state.
The proposed amendment to the bill that seeks to grant citizenship to people belonging to minority communities of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan has sparked widespread protests in Assam.
The Nagaland Tribes Council and the Nagaland unit of JD(U) have also voiced their opposition to the bill and extended support to the voices of indigenous people of Assam and other northeastern states against the proposed legislation.