AGP ready for break up with BJP

HINDU MIGRANTS ISSUE

“We are not power hungry politicians. The moment the BJP-led Government at the Centre converts the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill into a law, we will quit the Sonowal Government” says Agriculture Minister and AGP president Atul Bora 

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 12: The AGP, an alliance partner of the present BJP-led government in Dispur on Thursday vowed to quit the government the moment the rendra Modi Government at the Centre converts the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill into a law to facilitate granting citizenship to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh.

The alliance partner which led the six-years’ long anti-foreigners’ movement in Assam made it clear that the party will not tolerate any foreigner whether Muslim or Hindu who entered Assam post March 25, 1971, the deadline set by the historic Assam Accord. The AGP said it will not allow anyone to discrimite foreigners on the basis of religion.

“The Assam Accord which was the outcome of the six-years long movement and sacrifices of more than 850 lives, must be respected in case of detection and deportation of illegal foreigners from the State. We are not power hungry politicians. The moment the BJP-led Government at the Centre converts the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill into a law, we will quit the State Government here,” Agriculture Minister and AGP president Atul Bora said.

Interacting with reporters at the AGP headquarters at Ambari here on Thursday Bora said the party has been closing the Centre’s moves on the Citizenship (Amendment Bill). “Under no circumstance we will allow dilution of the Assam Accord,” he said.

The State has been witnessing a series of protests, strikes and demonstration since the BJP-led Government at the Centre issued a notification way back in 2015 to bring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to facilitate Hindu migrants from Bangladesh and other minorities from neighboring countries to take shelter in India and get citizenship on the ground religious persecution. There have been fresh protests in the State since the JPC has reportedly cancelled its proposed visit to the State on security reasons.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju in Guwahati recently said the Centre will take the fil call after the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted conduct hearings with various stake holders of the issue, tables its report before the Parliament.

Demanding publication of an updated NRC as per the Supreme Court’s deadline Bora said the AGP will be with the people of Assam on all burning issues of the State.

Taking questions from reporters on the much-awaited expansion of the Sarbanda Sonowal Ministry Bora said in case of expansion the AGP must get two fresh ministerial berths. He, however, said the AGP will contest the ensuing panchayat polls alone.