Ten Parties in the Northeast, Including BJP Allies, Oppose Citizenship Bill

Guwahati: Ten political parties of the northeastern region, including Bharatiya Janata Party allies and the Janata Dal (United), on Tuesday unanimously decided to oppose the citizenship amendment bill, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the political parties convened by Sangma and Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora here.

“The meeting was a natural process, considering the opposition of the northeast states to the bill and it is not politically motivated,” Sangma told reporters here.

“Most political parties in the region were protesting against the Bill in their own states and so we decided to come together and discuss measures to protect our people and the region,” he added.

Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga, who was also present at the meeting, said that a resolution was taken to unanimously oppose the Bill which was “dangerous and harmful for the people of the northeast”.

AGP president Atul Bora said that the meeting was “historic” as political parties have unanimously decided to oppose the Bill and ensure that it is not passed in the Rajya Sabha.

The ten political parties who participated in the meeting were Mizo National Front, United Democratic Party, Asom Gana Parishad, Naga People’s Front, National People’s Party, National Democratic Progressive Party, Hill State Peoples Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Front, Indigenous People Front of Tripura and the Khnam.

The JD(U) was represented at the meeting by its northeast in-charge, N.S.N. Lotha.