The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) termed BJP president Amit Shah’s statement in Assam on Sunday that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be passed if the party comes to power in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, is a “challenge for the people of northeastern states”.
“We have well understood the ill-conceived idea which is with intent to submerge the identity of NE’s indigenous inhabitants,” NPCC president K. Therie said in a release on Monday.
Also read: Assam: PM Modi will bring back Citizenship Bill, says Amit Shah
Saying the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is intended to grant citizenship to illegal immigrants and to counter the National Register of Citizens, he said, “It’s time we realign to defend the land that is made for you and for me. Personal ambition should not stand on the way against the interests of the NE.”
Therie urged all the like-minded political parties and leaders of the Northeast to rise above political boundaries to defend the region from the “draconian law”,
Addressing a large gathering at Assam’s Lakhimpur district on Sunday, Amit Shah said, “NDA will form government at the Centre again under the leadership of Modi ji and bring back the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to bring an end to infiltration.”
He also announced to push back the infiltrators out of Assam if the BJP returns to power this time.
Shah came down heavily on the Congress and Asom Gana Parichad (AGP) for opposing the Citizenship Bill and “doing nothing” after signing of the Assam Accord.