A delegation of MLAs from the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) will soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to oppose the citizenship bill.
Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma will lead a delegation of MLAs to the national capital and an appointment with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister has been sought.
“As a government, we have taken the lead in opposing this Bill and we will continue opposing it. Now the situation is slightly different because the Bill has not been passed in the Rajya Sabha, and it is not a complete amendment yet. Therefore, right now we are waiting and watching what the government does,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that all MDA partners will be part of the delegation and they would meet the Prime Minister and Home Minister to express concerns of the citizens of the State and the people of the Northeast as a whole and the MDA government’s opposition against the Bill.
“We have sought an appointment and we hope to get very soon within a week’s time,” the Chief Minister said.
Whether the NPP or MDA government should pull out of the NDA in protest against the Bill, the Chief Minister said, “We are yet to take a call on that because the Bill has not been amended completely. When it is amended in full, then the situation arises, but it is not appropriate for me to comment right now.”
The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8 last with an aim to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after staying six years in India, instead of 12 years currently, even if they do not possess any document.