BJP allies in northeast join hands against Citizenship Bill

JD(U) joins meet that resolves to stay united against Centre

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and former CM Donkupar Roy at the convention in Guwahati.

Ten regional parties of the northeastern region, including eight members of an anti-Congress forum led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Tuesday resolved to be united against the Union government’s move to push the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The BJP’s ally, Janata Dal (United), also joined a convention here to fight against the “communal Bill”. The Bill seeks to fast-track the process of granting citizenship to non-Muslims said to have fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and taken refuge in India till December 31, 2014.

“We oppose the Bill together. We believe that the Bill, if implemented, will threaten and endanger the lives and identity of the indigenous people of Assam and other parts of the northeastern region,” said Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who heads the Mizo National Front (MNF).

To approach President

“We held this convention to unanimously oppose the Centre’s push for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. We also decided to approach President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi together and appeal for scrapping the Bill,” said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, the convener of the meeting.

No decision on alliance

Mr. Sangma, who is also the president of the National People’s Party (NPP), declined to say whether the regional parties would break away from the National Democratic Alliance, or the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

“It is not right to comment on that as of now. But we will meet again to chalk out the future course of action in the unfortunate scenario of the Centre pressing ahead with the Bill,” he said.

The MNF and NPP are members of the anti-Congress NEDA. Apart from them and JD(U), the parties that attended the convention were the Asom Gana Parishad that walked out of an alliance with BJP over the Bill, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, United Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Front, Hill State People’s Democratic Party, and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (all Meghalaya based), Naga People’s Front and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (Nagaland).