AR-BILL-CONGRESS

The Congress in Arunachal

Pradesh on Friday demanded that the BJP government in the

state adopt a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment)

Bill, as has been done by the Meghalaya government.

The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government,

comprising the BJP, Friday passed a resolution to oppose the

Bill, as the saffron party leadership in the state asserted

that they were with the indigenous people on the controversial

legislation.

Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President

Takam Sanjoy asked, "Why the BJP led state government in

Arunachal headed by Pema Khandu has remained a mute

spectator?"

The Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks

to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who fled religious

persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and

entered India before December 31, 2014.

"This Bill will make this tribal sate, protected by

Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, a dumping ground of

refugees and illegal migrants making the indigenous population

minority," Sanjoy said and urged Khandu to take a clear stand

on the Bill.

He alleged that the Bill was brought in to appease

voters on the basis of community and religion, and described

it as unconstitutional.

"The Bill was passed to appease voters on the basis of

community and religion and to spread hatred, communalism and

chaos across the country, particularly in the North East

India," Sanjoy told a press conference here.

It is a move to negate the Assam Accord when the

process of finalization of the National Register of Citizens

(NRC) is on in Assam, Sanjoy said.