Provisions would be included in the Citizenship Amendment bill: Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Convenor of BJP-floated platform of non-Congress parties, North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Himanta Biswa Sarma said specific provisions would be included in the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
In a statement, Sarma said that current state laws enacted for protect the cultural, linguistics and other rights of North Eastern region will not diluted by the proposed CAB.

On Monday, all eight chief ministers of Northeast India-- Sarbananda Sonowal (Assam); Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya), Biplab Kumar (Tripura); Nongthombam Biren Singh (Manipur), Zoramthanga (Mizoram) Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh); Prem Singh Tamang (Sikkim), discussed the issue of proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the side lines of NEDA conclave.

Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, enquired whether there will be cut off date for granting Citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists Jains and Christians population of Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan Sangma also enquired if the proposed CAB will override Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act. CMs of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland enquired whether the CAB will in any way affect provisions of Article 371 Schedule of the Constitution of India & Inner Line Permit System.

Himanta, in a statement, stated, “Shahji assured all the CMs that proposed CAB will have a cut off date of 31st December 2014. The proposed CAB will not in any way, override the provisions of the 6th Schedule, Inner Line Permit, and state acts like Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act.”

He said, “ The chief ministers assured him that they will discuss the proposed CAB with all the stakeholders in their respective states and meet Shah soon again”.