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deport all illegal migrants on the basis indigenous people in the region. initiatives would never harm the local
of national cut-off year (1951) for which Even two northeastern chief minis- populations but benefit them in the
over 850 people sacrificed their lives ters belong to the BJP led National Dem- long term.
and thousands others faced humili- ocratic Alliance family came out raising Sonowal categorically stated that
ations in different occasions. But the voices against the bill. Meghalaya chief a section of vested interests (read Left
agitators, most of whom later became minister Conrad Sangma and Mizo- and Congress) was trying to create dis-
seasoned politicians, had never tried ram chief minister Zoram Thanga have turbances in Assam by spreading mis-
to validate the accord with legal frame- opposed the initiative and asserted information that 19 million Bangladeshi
works. Shockingly, the accord was not that they would not take any burden Hindu nationals would get citizenship
passed in the Parliament for due legal of foreigners in their States. Manipur as an immediate outcome of the Bill.
endorsements. chief minister and a senior BJP leader N It cannot encourage any foreigner to

• Flagging anger On Modi’s latest visit to Guwahati, hundreds of activists showed him black flags in various places
Spirited AASU along with North- Biren Singh also expressed his concern come to India as the Bill has a cut-off
east East Students’ Organization and over the probable negative implications date of 31 December 2014, asserted the
many Assam based ethnic civil soci- of the initiative in his State. young chief minister.
ety groups maintained that Assam However, Arunachal Pradesh chief “The Bill, if duly passed in the Parlia-
would burn if the Bill is duly processed. minister Pema Khandu and Assam ment, will only allow the Hindus, Sikhs,
AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians
commented that the BJP led govern- have supported the move arguing that to apply for citizenship after a manda-
ments in both New Delhi and Dis- it would not affect the region. Remain- tory residency of seven years. Once
pur were hatching conspiracies to ing silent over the matter for months, they apply, the citizenship applications
destroy the peaceful ambience as the Sonowal now start making voluminous will be verified by the local authorities,”
Bill would threaten the existence of public comments that the Centre’s new stated Sonowal adding that his gov-

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