Take immediate steps to stem Assamese anger, Speaker tells Centre

The Centre should take immediate steps to stem the situation in Assam arising out of the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Lok Sabha, Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said on Wednesday.

In remarks that are bound to embarrass the ruling BJP, Goswami said: "I believe that the Central government should take immediate steps to mitigate the ongoing situation in Assam." He said the Bill was enacted without taking the people of Assam into confidence.

Goswami added that the Modi government was seemingly in a hurry to pass the Bill in Parliament.

The Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, seeks to give Indian citizenship to six minority groups from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Goswami's reaction came two days after the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) snapped its ties with the BJP over the Bill and a day after a shutdown called by the North East Students Organization (NESO) against the Bill brought life to a standstill in the entire northeast.

Goswami said that the recent incidents in Assam over the Bill had touched him.

"I am personally moved by the incidents that have been taking place in the state in past few days over the Citizenship Bill. However, being in a Constitutional position, I have no scope to express my opinion as far as the Bill is concerned.

"As a citizen, my conscience does not allow me to support any move that will go against the integrity and unity of the indigenous people of Assam," he added.

--IANS

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