Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said he has no reason to continue on his post if he cannot protect the interest of the people of the State.
The Chief Minister made the statement while interacting with the editors of print and electronic media here on Saturday evening on the prevailing situation in Assam following the recent visit of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016.
“If the interest of the State and its people is not secure, then what is the meaning of continuing as the Chief Minister of the State. That is why we will sincerely work for safeguarding the interest of the people of Assam. This is certain,” Mr. Sonowal said.
A key amendment in the Bill seeks to grant citizenship to people without valid documents from six minority communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of stay in India.
‘Inclusive decision’
“It is my duty as the Chief Minister to take all with me and not take decisions on my own. By taking the opinion of the people of Assam, we will take a decision on the issue... I will seriously think about the suggestions given by you all here and as advised, I will also discuss the matter with senior citizens and intellectuals in the coming days,” he said.
Mr. Sonowal appealed for peace in the State and said there is no need for people of Assam to get agitated as the process for the JPC to take their opinion is still on.
“We will not take any decision that goes against the people of Assam. We all have to ensure peace across the State and keep faith in the government. I appeal to all to maintain peace so that unwanted situations do not develop in the State,” he said.
JPC visit
“The JPC chairman had hinted that the committee will return to Assam to take people’s opinion on the Bill. The people should, however, continue to express their opinion and speak their mind to the JPC chairman through e-mail,” he said.
The 16-member JPC, headed by BJP MP Rajendra Agarwal, had visited the State from May 7 to May 9 to elicit views from stakeholders on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act 1955.
Mr. Sonowal said there was an allegation against him that he was not allowing the JPC team to visit Assam. “When I had got the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act repealed, no JPC had come then. This time, people have been given top priority,” he said.
Protests were staged against the Bill near the venue where the JPC hearing was held as people feared that it would breach the clauses of the Assam Accord which states that all illegal foreigners from Bangladesh who had settled in Assam after March 25, 1971, would have to be deported irrespective of their religion.
