CAA against NE people, their culture, language: Cong MP

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is against the people of the Northeast and the legislation will "destroy" the language and culture of the region, Congress MP Abdul Khaleque said on Friday.

The Lok Sabha MP from Assam said the party will continue to lodge protest against the "anti-people" law, both inside and outside Parliament.

"The CAA will hurt the interests of the people of the Northeast and endanger the language and culture of the people of the region," Khaleque told reporters here.

The Congress leader said this in the wake of President Ram Nath Kovind's remarks at the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament hailing the CAA.

Kovind said the legislation has fulfilled the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi.

"We have protested against the CAA inside Parliament and near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi today. We will continue to protest against the CAA both inside and outside Parliament till the act is repealed," he said.

According to the CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

President Kovind on Friday lauded the CAA saying Parliament fulfilled the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi, who had suggested after the partition that the Hindus and Sikhs of Pakistan, who do not wish to live there, can come to India.

Khaleque also slammed Union Minister Anurag Thakur for his "divisive" remarks during the campaign for the Delhi assembly elections.