AGP-BJP Alliance: Ball in Amit Shah’s Court

GUWAHATI: With a section of BJP leaders during the party’s ally AGP to quit the ruling alliance in Assam over the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the AGP on Monday threatened to leave the alliance through a letter written to the BJP national president Amit Shah.

In a strongly worded letter sent to Amit Shah on Monday the AGP made it clear that if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is intended to be passed in the Parliament, the party will have no other option but to repudiate its present alliance with the BJP. The letter was signed by AGP president and working president Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta respectively. Both Bora and Mahanta are also Cabinet ministers in the BJP-led Government in Assam.

The AGP in its letter stated that in case the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed it will result in gross violation of the provisions of the historic Assam Accord and make the entire exercise of NRC update irrelevant. The Bill will also devastate Assamese culture, language and demography. The party has urged Shah to use his good office to withdraw the “obnoxious” Citizenship (Amendment) Bill so that the said Bill is not placed in the Parliament at any point of time.

Miffed over the AGP’s opposition to the Bill, which will legitimise the stay of non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who migrated to India till December 31, 2014, BJP leader and influential Cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently said the AGP was at liberty to severe its ties with the saffron party if it so desired. He said the BJP was ready to face any consequences. Some other BJP leaders echoed Sarma.

The letter reminded Shah that prior to Assembly election in 2016 the BJP and AGP amicably decided to forge an alliance on the basis of sharing common interest and understanding on the Assam Accord and other burning issues of Assam. But the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill introduced in the Parliament in 2016 will make the Assam Accord irrelevant.

Asserting its vehement opposition to the Bill the AGP informed Shah that it is a matter of serious concern that despite protest and agitation by different organizations in Assam there are reports that the Centre is all set to pass the proposed legislation in the Parliament.

Also Read: Top Headline