Arunachal to hold cabinet meet on Monday to discuss Citizenship Bill

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday said the state government has convened a cabinet meeting on November 18 to discuss the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which is likely to be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament.

Khandu, participating in the National Press Day celebrations here, said the special cabinet meeting will deliberate on the recommendations of the Consultative Committee on CAB set up by the state government.

"The committee had convened a number of meetings with political parties, students' bodies and community-based organisations to seek their opinion on CAB, and prepare a comprehensive report on the issue.

"The report has been finalised, which will be discussed in the cabinet meeting, and the stand of the government will be communicated to the Centre," he said.

Khandu said the Arunachal Pradesh government will never work against the interests of the indigenous people of the state, and ensure that their rights are protected.

"The central government has made its stand clear on the bill that it will not affect the tribal states," he said.

Various students' bodies led by All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) have opposed the CAB, saying it would affect the tribal population of the state.

Lawmakers of the state, during a meeting on November 11, had suggested that the government should approach the Centre for converting two regulations -- The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873 and the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 -- into acts before enacting the contentious bill.

The BJP-led NDA government is set to push for the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament's Winter Session starting from Monday.

It has listed the bill in its items of business for the session, official sources said.

The bill had lapsed following the dissolution of the last Lok Sabha.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said on October 1 that Parliament will pass the CAB, which seeksa to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after seven years of stay in the country, even if they do not possess proper documents.

The indigenous people of the north eastern states fear that entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.