Shillong, Feb 13: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that voice of the people has prevailed after the Citizenship Amendment Bill could not be passed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

As the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die due to continued disruption by opposition members on Wednesday, the move to table the Bill by the BJP-led NDA government could not succeed.

Terming a ‘great moment’ for the people of the North Eastern region, Conrad told reporters in New Delhi that the sentiment and voice of the people has prevailed. Leader of the AGP from Assam were also present.

After the Bill was not tabled in Rajya Sabha, representatives of the North East Students’ Organisation also met the Meghalaya Chief Minister and AGP leaders and thanked them for working tirelessly in opposing the Bill and for reaching out to leaders of different political parties to seek their support so that the Bill is not introduced and passed in Rajya Sabha.

Sangma, who is also the National People’s Party (NPP) national chief, has been leading a delegation of the North East-based political parties in New Delhi for campaigning against the citizenship bill.

Infact the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

Conrad thanked leaders of the eleven political parties, civil societies, student bodies, and other groups for playing a critical role in ensuring that the voice of the people reached the leadership at different levels.

On February 9, the National People’s Party had decided to break ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) if the Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha.

However to a question, what the NPP would do if the Bill is implemented through other way, the Meghalaya Chief Minister said, “If that situation comes, we will take a stand on that. At this moment, the Bill has not gone through, and that is more important for us.”

There were celebrations in various places after the news spread that the Bill could not be introduced, and the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned sine dine.

Meanwhile the Khasi Students Union took out a victory rally in Shillong on Wednesday evening after the BJP-led NDA government failed to bring the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha.

The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) however termed it a semi-final victory as the final fight is to get the Inner Line Permit (ILP) implement in the state.

KSU members took out a car and bike rally in Shillong City and shouted slogans against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Later the effigies of Modi, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh were burnt at Nongpoh, th district headquarter of Ri-Bhoi district and Nongstoiñ, the district headquarter of West Khasi Hills district.

The HYC however said that NGOs under the banner of Confederation of Hynñiewtrep Social Organizations (CoHSO) wished not to celebrate since the final fight is the demand to implement the ILP in the state.

“The Confederation was happy because the Bill was not tabled in Rajya Sabha,” HYC president and chairman of CoHSO, Robertjune Kharjahrin said.

“The win over the CAB and the BJP is only a small victory. The biggest war is the war that we have to fight to preserve the identity of our indigenous Hynñiewtrep people. As indigenous community, we have to wake up to protect ourselves by having a strong law like the ILP, NRC and other laws. Time will come that any big party, be it the BJP or other parties that come to power may again try to crush us. Therefore, we remind the government that it should implement ILP, NRC and other strong laws immediately in the state,” the CoHSO chairman said.

Kharjahrin also thanked the Hynñiewtrep people and people in the whole North East for standing against the Bill.

He also thanked all NGOs, MPs, Chief Ministers, Ministers, MLAs, MDCs, political parties and others for opposing the Bill.