False picture given on Citizenship Bill, rights of indigenous people will be protected: Sonowal

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said a "false picture" has been given out that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is anti-Assam and assured the indigenous people that their rights will be protected and there will be no threat to their language and culture.

Protests against the Bill which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been continuing in the northeast for nearly four weeks.

Sonowal told representatives of Asam Sahitya Sabha and literary bodies of other indigenous communities of the state here that the government "is committed to safeguard the interests and rights of the indigenous people with the proper implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord".

"It is a national policy that the people belonging to six religions seeking domicile in India from the neighbouring countries due to religious persecution would be shared by the whole country.

"But misinformation and rumours have been spread by various agencies that foreigners in hordes will flock the state after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 becomes an Act," the Assam Chief Minister said