Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs of Assam raise voice against Citizenship Bill

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: With their conscience pricking them, some BJP MLAs of the State have started to air comments against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 – directly or indirectly. Now they feel that when it comes to priority, the future of Assam precedes everything else.

Speaking on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, BJP’s Bihpuria MLA Debananda Hazarika said: “We’re not going to work against the interest of the people of Assam. This is an anti-Assamese Bill. We can never support such a Bill. We can’t divide Bangladeshis based on their religions. I request Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to take measures to prevent the Bill from getting passage in the Rajya Sabha.”

Toeing the same line, BJP’s Lahowal MLA Rituparna Baruah said: “Democracy honours people’s mandate. Since the people of Assam are against the Bill, we need to side with the people. This Bill, if passed, is going to spell disaster for Assam. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) is the platform from which we entered into politics. Before the election, the BJP assured us of implementing the Assam Accord to the letter. Now by introducing such a Bill, the party has broken that promise.”

BJP’s Dispur MLA Atul Bora said: “I repeatedly say that the Bill is set to spell disaster for Assam. We don’t see any reason to back such a Bill. If some people say that the Bill is going to benefit Assam, it’s their view. However, I’ll continue to oppose the Bill.”

Even as he refrained from opposing the Bill directly, BJP’s Sootea MLA Padma Hazarika said: “The problem of foreigners in the State has to be solved within the parameters of the Assam Accord. We need to see that the Accord is not violated. We’ve to work keeping that in mind.”

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