AGP's Stand on Citizenship Bill to be Decided by Content of Draft, Says Atul Bora

New Delhi, December 1, 2019:

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader Atul Bora on Saturday said that the party's stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be decided by the content of the draft. "First let us look at the draft -- then we will decide what to do", he said.

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Recalling the struggle against the We had opposed the Bill, Bora said- " We protested -- taken to the streets -- resigned from Ministerial posts. We had been informed that the Bill would be brought again only after consultations, and we resumed the alliance with the BJP after that", he said.

Bora stated that the earlier version of the Bill caused apprehensions, as the Bill could have granted citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants, based on religion.

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Bora thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for holding consultations with the various stakeholders on Saturday, in regards to the Bill. The leader of the regional party also stated that the Parliament will decide the question of citizenship. He also informed that the party had made various requests to Shah -- including the granting of ST status to six indigenous communities.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the leaders, as well as civil society members, of the Northeast states to assure that the region has nothing to fear regarding the proposed Citizenship Bill.

According to sources, Shah met the Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, namely, Sarbananda Sonowal, Pema Khandu and Conrad Sangma respectively to discuss the Bill. He also met the the leaders of students’ unions and civil society groups of the three states on Saturday.

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