Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, hinted that there could be some changes in the controversial Citizenship Act. He will talk to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on the matter.
While addressing an election rally in Jharkhand‘s Giridih on Saturday, Shah said that he wanted to assure the people of Northeast, especially Assam, that their culture, language, social identity and political rights will be not be affected by the Citizenship Act. The Home Minister said, “Since several politicians from the Northeast, including Meghalaya CM Sangma and his cabinet ministers, have expressed their request to change certain provisions in the Act, a meeting after Christmas could be held to figure out a “constructive solution” for Meghalaya.”
“Yesterday, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma and his cabinet ministers met me to discuss the issue. They said there is a problem in Meghalaya. I tried to make them understand that there is no issue. Yet, they requested me to change something (in the act). I have asked Sangma Ji to come to me when he is free after Christmas and we can think of a constructive a solution for Meghalaya. Nobody has anything to fear,” he said.
#WATCH HM Amit Shah in J'khand y'day: Abhi CAB aya hai… Kal Meghalaya CM mujhe mile,unka aagreh tha ki kuch parivartan karne padenge. Maine unhe kaha hai ki aaram se beth kar sakaratmak roop se soch kar Meghalaya ki samasya ka samadhan nikalenge. Kisi ko darne ki zaroorat nahi pic.twitter.com/0LAQTFbYQL
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2019
The Citizenship Amendment bill has been passed in both the houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) in the parliament and became a law after getting a nod from the President.
The Bill seeks to declare Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zorastrian, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan eligible for citizenship who came to India before December 31, 2014. Although the Bill only carries the provision of citizenship for the non-muslim population that arrived from the neighboring nations.
The bill is being vehemently opposed by various political outfits and student organizations in North-eastern states.