States will not give land for settlement of illegal immigrants : Nabam Tuki

Former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki said here on Saturday that he is opposing Citizenship Amendment Bill because if illegal immigrants are given citizenship based on religion then their population will spread across many states and there will be settlement issues.

"We oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill because if illegal immigrants are given citizenship based on religion, the population will spread across many states. Which state will give them land?" said Nabam Tuki after attending a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Amit Shah is discussing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with members of political parties and civil society organisations from northeastern states. The Union Home Minister met leaders on Friday and Saturday is third meeting is slated for December 3.

Home Minister Amit Shah had said in Rajya Sabha that the Citizenship Amendment Bill is needed so that Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Christian and Parsi refugees, who are being discriminated on the basis of religion in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan, obtain Indian citizenship.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8 this year, aims at granting citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.