Citizenship Amendment Bill bad for northeast, will continue movement against it: Samujjal Bhattacharya

All Assam Students' Union chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya on Tuesday said that Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was bad for the northeast and they will continue their movement over the issue.

Speaking to ANI after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue, Bhattacharya said, "They (Centre) are planning to bring Citizenship Amendment Bill as it is good for the country. However, we said it is bad for Assam and the northeast. The movement against the Bill will continue throughout Assam".

He also claimed that the centre was attempting to give citizenship to 'illegal Hindus' through the bill.

"They are trying to give citizenship to all illegal Hindu Bangladeshis. This is something that we cannot accept. Assam is not a dumping ground for illegal Bangladeshis", he said.

Shah on Tuesday met several politicians and activists of Northeast states including the chief ministers of Manipur, Nagaland, and Assam to discuss the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The bill provides citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who were subjected to persecution in their countries.Apart from the Chief Ministers of the three states, the activists of North-East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP), Manipur People Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MANPAC), and members of the civil society were also present in the meeting at Assam Bhavan here.NEFIP and MANPAC are opposing the Bill, which provides for granting citizenship to non-Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who are facing persecution in their countries.Earlier today, North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma said that during the meeting the Home Minister hinted that the Bill could be introduced during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament."The Home Minister has indicated that the Bill will be introduced in Parliament's Winter Session," Assam's Finance Minister Sarma told ANI.Shah held discussions with several politicians, activists and representatives of the civil society member of the northeast states over the proposed Bill during his meetings on November 29, 30 and December 3.Politicians and civil society members of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland met with the Home Minister today, Sarma said.He said: "After discussions, a framework of the CAB will be formulated and that will be introduced in the Parliament. I can not comment on what will happen to it further."On November 30, Sarma had said that that in the meeting with Shah, a consensus was formed that efforts would be made to accommodate north-east specific grievances in the new draft of the Bill.