While the entire northeastern region is up in arms over theproposed Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Union Cabinet is likely to clear thecontentious legislation at its meeting here on Wednesday. According tohighly-placed sources, the Centre might introduce it in Rajya Sabha on December10.
Sources in the know pointed out that with home minister AmitShah holding regular discussions with key political leaders, students'representatives and civil society members from the Northeast over the past fewdays, including a meeting which took place on Tuesday, there is a stronglikelihood that the Bill could be cleared at the Cabinet meeting due to takeplace on December 4.
The proposed legislation is likely to be introduced by thegovernment in the Upper House on December 10, the sources added. The BJP-ledNDA government had introduced the bill in its previous tenure and got the LokSabha's approval. But it couldn't pass in the Rajya Sabha due to the vehementprotests in the Northeast region.
The bill lapsed after the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.Under the previous bill, those who came to India on or before December 31, 2014will benefit from the law after it receives the President's assent and isnotified.
The new bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955, inorder to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsisand Christians who came to India due to religious persecution in Bangladesh,Pakistan and Afghanistan even if they don't have proper documents.
Mr Shah on Tuesday held discussions with members ofstudents' bodies and civil society groups of Assam on the proposed law. AssamCM Sarbananda Sonowal was among those who attended the meeting.
The groups, including the influential All Assam StudentsUnion (AASU), are learnt to have told the home minister of their concerns andhow the proposed legislation could affect the indigenous people of theNortheast, sources said.
Last week the Home Minister assured a group of leaders andChief Ministers from the Northeast that states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoramand Nagaland, which are protected by the Inner Line Permit (ILP), would beshielded from the impact of the proposed legislation.
In other words, those non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh,Pakistan and Afghanistan who don't have valid documents, and who take up Indiancitizenship under the new law, will not be allowed to settle in these areas andstates.
A large section of people and a few organisations in theNortheast have opposed the bill, saying it will nullify the provisions of the1985 Assam Accord, that fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for thedeportation of all illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.
