Shillong Jan 7: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the National People’s Party (NPP) had made it clear to the BJP-led NDA government that it would opposed any move to pass Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

“From our side we have been very clear to NDA government that this (CAB) is something we will not support,” Sangma, who is also the national president of the NPP, told reporters here on Monday.

Whether the NPP would withdraw support from the NDA government, he said, “We will see when the time comes, but as of now we have made our stand clear that we are not supporting this amendment Bill.”

Stating that the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) led by the NPP in the state is the first government to adopt a cabinet resolution against the Citizenship Bill, Sangma said, “There is no confusion about our stand.”

Whether his government will take further step to pressurize the Centre not to go ahead with the Bill, the chief minister said, “this is something that we as a state government have passed a resolution in the cabinet and that is the most aggressive stand any government has taken.”

The Bill was brought to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to provide citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians facing persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Strong protest has erupted against the Bill especially in the whole North Eastern Region.

COHSO protests infront of BJP office in Meghalaya

A conglomerate of 14 groups under the banner of Confederation of Hynñiewtrep Social Organisation (COHSO) also staged a protest on Monday and asked the Chief Minister to drop the BJP from the MDA government in view of the BJP-led NDA Government’s move to amend the Bill and implement in the country.

Members of the groups shouted slogans against the NDA government, “Modi government down down” and “Bangladeshis go back” while protesting with banners and placards infront of the BJP office in Shillong.

Robertjune Kharjahrin who is the chairman of CoHSO termed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 a threat not only to the indigenous tribals in the North East, but a national security threat too.

Kharjahrin said that it is better for Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh if in the eyes of the NDA government, Bangladeshis are more important than the North East people.

The BJP along with the United Democratic Party (UDP), Hills State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF), NCP and Independents support the MDA government led by the NPP under the leadership of Conrad as Chief Minister.

When asked for his reaction on the demand of the 14 groups to remove the BJP from the MDA government, the Chief Minister who was referring to the BJP MLA, AL Hek who is also the Health Minister said, “this is the same minister who was in the cabinet and supported the resolution not to accept but to reject any kind of amendment.”

“So he (Hek) may be part of the BJP but as an individual, he has said it clearly in the Cabinet meeting that for me, protection of my people and my state is a priority. That is the statement he has made. I think the organizations should be happy that a person though from a particular party, he puts the citizens and the people first,” Conrad defended.

On the bandh called by the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) in the North East on Tuesday, Conrad said, ”the NGOs are going ahead with the agitation but it will not affect us in anyway because government has to work.”

“The subject that the NGOs are taking up is something which the government had already announced that it is against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. We have made our stand very clear, and therefore there should not be any ambiguity or confusion among the people or among the NESO members about the stand of the Meghalaya government,” he said.