Don’t become unduly apprehensive: Sonowal

HINDU BANGLADESHI ISSUE

GUWAHATI, May 28: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday once again appealed to the people of the State not to become unduly apprehensive and worried about the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

“My government is accountable to over three crore population of Assam who voted us to power. So we will never do anything that hurts the sentiments and self-esteem of indigenous people of the State. If we do anything anti-people, how will we face the people in the next election?” Sonowal said while participating in an interaction programme with senior and prominent citizens on Monday.

The programme was organized in the city on the occasion of completion of four years in office by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and two years in office by the Sonowal government in Assam.

“I have also come from a very humble background. So I can understand pain, agonies and aspirations of the people of Assam,” Sonowal said, adding that the Joint Parliamentary Committee has not yet completed its public hearing on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The proposed Bill, if passed by the Parliament, will pave the way for the Hindu Bangladeshis to come to Assam and get citizenship. Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while participating in the interaction programme, said the Centre is committed to safeguard identity and security of the people of Assam. He highlighted various achievements of the Narendra Modi government during the last four years.

Among others, former vice chancellors of Gauhati University NK Choudhury, Hiralal Dowerah, noted litterateur Lakhinandan Bora, artiste Pulak Gogoi and senior journalist DN Chakravarty attended the programme.