The bill has disregarded Assam Accord : Opposition MP

Amid massive uproar at the Lok Sabha, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is tabled by Home Minister Raj Nath Singh today.

Congress MP Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge said , "The bill has disregarded Assam Accord . The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)  visited only Guwahati, Silchar and Shillong. He also said that the bill should be sent to the select committee and the JPC  must revisit the states.

The  opposition party Member of Parliaments (MP's) shouted slogans in the Lok Sabha, but Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh continued speaking on the Bill. They said the Bill is unconstitutional and goes against the secular principles of India.

Sougata Roy, MP from Trinamool Congress said , "If the Bill is passed, Assam will burn. There is a divisive nature to this Bill and that the select committee had shot down all suggested amendments". The bill if passed will bring unrest in entire North East and West Bengal, he added.

Earlier today, the BJP has order a whip in order to have full attendance of its Member of Parliament's (MP) at the house.

Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh said that the Act is not  just confined to Assam but the Act will also provide relief to  to the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsi migrants who have come through western borders of the country to States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other States. The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden.

The minimum residency period for citizenship is being reduced from existing 12 years under the present law to 7 years. The beneficiaries of Citizenship Amendment Bill can reside in any state of the country.

Union Cabinet has also approved grant of ST status to Six Communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak. A Bill is being introduced in the current session of Parliament.

At the same time, full safeguards will be provided to protect the interests, rights & privileges of existing Scheduled Tribes of Assam.

A separate Bill will be brought to grant ST status to Bodo Kacharis in Hill districts of Assam and Karbis in the rest of Assam.