CAB is a dead issue: Shullai

Shillong, Mar 23: BJP South Shillong MLA and candidate for the Shillong parliamentary seat Sanbor Shullai today said issue related to the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill is a dead issue.

“CAB is a dead issue now,” Shullai told reporters soon after the announcement of his candidature by the party’s central election committee (CEC) on Saturday.

The people of Meghalaya and other north eastern states had earlier registered strong opposition against the BJP-led NDA government’s move to implement the CAB as it seeks to provide citizenship to illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It may be mentioned that Shullai had also threatened to resign from the party if the state of Meghalaya is not exempted from the purview of the CAB.

However despite its failure to pass the CAB in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP national president Amit Shah had maintained that the party would again table the Bill in parliament if it is voted back to power.

When sought for his comment on this, Shullai however said, “I cannot comment anything (on that) as for me personally and the people of the state, the CAB issue is dead.”

Asked, the sitting legislator said that he has full faith and confident in the wisdom of the people

“You see this is a national election so I think people should vote for a change and give chance to the BJP because no doubt our party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will form the government,” Shullai said.

According to him, the NDA government have also extended maximum financial assistance to the state of Meghalaya.

Earlier, Congress MP from Shillong Vincent H Pala had alleged that the decision of the BJP to field candidate for the seat was just to divide the non-tribal voters.

Reacting to this, BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh however said, “The Congress always goes behind BJP only but they don’t alleged other parties as they see only BJP is a threat to them. They can say anything but we are here for our voters not for big or small but for all.”

With regards to BJP MLAs resigning in other states, Lyngdoh said in politics the door is always open and those do not get ticket from the BJP, it is obvious that they will go to another party and there is nothing new in this.

“We have nothing to worry as one going ten coming is the system in politics also,” he added.