Citizenship Bill Approach 'Different' this Time, Says Meghalaya CM

Shillong, December 4, 2019:

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed members of the press on Wednesday that the Central Government's approach to implementing the Citizenship Bill is 'different' this time compared to earlier this year.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural programme of the 'Northeast Food Show' Conrad K Sangma informed that that Union Minister Amit Shah had consulted over a 100 indigenous organizations -- 23 of them from Meghalaya -- to learn their concerns ahead of the Bill's tabulation in both Houses of Parliament.

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Sangma said that there were a lot of 'concerns' put forth by the indigenous organizations lauded for reaching out individually to each of the organizations, and consulting the organizations.

"The fact that they have agreed to make amendments shows that the Government of India is concerned about the effects it could have on the rest of the Northeast", said Sangma.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister has said that now they await the draft and only after its introduction, it will be clear whether the Home Ministry has paid notice to the concerns of the indigenous people.

Lauding the Ministry for lending its ears to the concerns of the people of the Northeast, Sangma said that the approach of the Ministry is different this time around compared to earlier this year, when the Citizenship Bill was bulldozed through the Lok Sabha by a BJP majority.

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