The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has become the rallying point for political parties and civil society organisations across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Tripura to protest or boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the northeast.
Mr. Modi arrived in Guwahati on Friday evening for initiating or inaugurating a slew of projects in the three States on Saturday.
“We are not against the Prime Minister’s visit to the State, but we are disappointed that the draconian Bill that threatens the existence of the indigenous people of the northeast is being brought under his leadership,” Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Chera Taya said.
The party, he said, would carry out a rally in Itanagar during Mr Modi’s programme. Other regional entities such as People’s Party of Arunachal have lent support “in the greater interest of the indigenous people”.
In Guwahati, 70 organisations led by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti have planned a black flag demonstration during the Prime Minister’s visit. “We will let him know the Bharatiya Janata Party’s bid to wield the Citizenship Bill as a weapon to win votes will not succeed,” Akhil Gogoi, the organisation’s leader, said.
Tripura’s Left Front MPs — Jharna Das Baidya, Jitendra Chaudhury and Shankar Prasad Dutta — have decided to boycott Mr. Modi’s programme.
“The Bill has been conceived against the spirit of our Constitution,” the trio said, urging the Prime Minister to immediately withdraw the Bill from the Rajya Sabha. They also reminded Mr. Modi that the projects he would be inaugurating were sanctioned and implemented during the Left Front rule in Tripura. These include the new complex of the Tripura Institute of Technology.
Mr. Modi would also be unveiling the statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur at Agartala Airport.
On Saturday, Mr. Modi would be laying the foundation stone of a greenfield airport at Hollongi near Itanagar.
“In addition to providing better connectivity to the region, Hollongi will boost tourism in the State besides being of strategic importance to the nation,” Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said.
