Questioning Balakot air strike insult to IAF: Meghalaya CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma Wednesday said asking for proof of the air strike at terror camps of Balakot is an insult to the IAF and its act should not be "diluted". Sangma also said neither his National People's Party (NPP) nor his government would accept the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in its present form.

Addressing a press conference here, Sangma said there should not be any compromise with national security. "I think what they (Indian Air Force) did is something that should not be diluted by looking into the political part... going into the number (of deaths) and asking for proof. I think it is a kind of insult to our armed forces," he added.

The NPP president was here to launch the Assam unit of the party which is a constituent of the BJP-led NDA. "I think we should all stand united with our armed forces.... Most importantly, national security is an issue that we should not compromise in any way and no politics should be played in that regard," he said.

To a question whether the ruling and opposition parties are playing politics over the issue, Sangma said it is for the people to judge. Talking about the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Sangma said the entire North East has to come together to make a decision on this issue.

"All the political parties and all the stakeholders who have been opposing this Bill must be united," he said. The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document.

A largescale protest had broken out in the region as the indigenous people, and even certain allies of the BJP, were apprehending that if the bill was enacted, it would endanger their livelihood and identity. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

However, it is set to lapse on June 3, when the term of the Lok Sabha ends, as it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha. When asked if there is a middle path between the NPP and the BJP regarding the Bill, Sangma said there is nothing at this moment, but he cannot say on behalf of the government or the stakeholders involved in it.

"I hope there is (a middle path). It is a very complicated issue, I must accept that. But in this complexity, all that we are saying is that North East cannot be a target. Therefore, if there is a way, we can discuss it, we can go into it and if we still find it is not satisfying, we will not be accepting that," he added.

On its differences with the NDA on this, Sangma said his government is working with the grouping in matters of governance and development. "But when it comes to issues or ideologies, there is no question of compromising in either one of them," he said.

On the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Sangma said the NPP will contest all the 25 seats in the North East..

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