Citizenship Bill : Cong criticises Khandu govt for failure to

The Congress in Arunachal Pradesh today criticized the Pema Khandu government for its failure to insist that the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) visit the state to collect views and suggestions from the stakeholders of the state on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

A 16-member JPC headed by Lok Sabha MP Rajendra Agarwal is visiting the north eastern states for collecting suggestions on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Arunachal Pradesh, a state which is encountering major problems due to Chakma, Hajong, Tibetans and illegal immigrants, is left untouched by the JPC, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee(APCC) vice-president Minkir Lollen said in a statement here.

He condemned the state government for keeping the people of the state in the dark about the JPC visit on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

"Since the '70s the refugee problem is a burning issue in the state. The issue has been always taken casually and the Centre did not address proactively keeping in mind the sentiment of indigenous people till date, Lollen alleged.

Appreciating the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union for sending a delegation to Shillong tomorrow to participate in the JPC meeting, he urged the state government to disclose whether any meeting had been held on the refugees issue or it has been "resolved secretly" with the union home ministry.

The Congress also demanded that the state government convene an all-party meeting immediately to discuss the issue along with NGOs, community organisations and senior citizens of the affected districts.