Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee Stages Dharna Against CAB

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: The Congress in Arunachal Pradesh held demonstrations across the State to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha by the BJP-led NDA government. The demonstrations were organized in all the districts of the State.

Anti-BJP government slogans rented the air as Congress leaders and workers led by Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy, CLP leader Takam Pario and MLA Markio Tado staged dharna in front of Civil Secretariat here. The Congress cadres also burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and State Chief Minister Pema Khandu with thunderous jeering to conclude the dharna.

Earlier, Sanjoy addressing the gathering, charged Khandu for remaining a silent spectator when the CAB has put North-east India, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, ‘on fire’.

Taking a dig at Khandu for announcing his Government’s support to the CAB, he recalled that the British Raj had enacted Chini Hill Act in 1846 and Bengal Easter Frontier Regulation in 1872 to protect the then North East Frontier Agency (NEFA, now Arunachal Pradesh), which was given UT and state status by the Congress.

“But the BJP with Prime Minister Modi claiming to be chowkidar of India is adamant to bulldoze the most sensitive state sharing its border with Myanmar, Bhutan and China,” Sanjoy said, and recalled how patriots Arunachalees even did not allow Chinese to enter their state. The CAB specifying eight years before 2014 as cut off mark to grant citizenship to Bangladeshi refugees has negated 1971 as cut off mark directed by the Supreme Court, 1985 as per Assam Accord and 1971 by National Citizenship Registrar in Assam, which, Sanjoy said, would endanger the existence of indigenous people.

“We will never accept Bangladeshi refugees as Indian citizens and continue to oppose,” he said, adding they could be settled in any part of India not in this protected state. “Except speeches, Modi has given only ladus to the people to reflect that Congress alone could protect all sections of people”, Sanjoy said and shouted “Accha din ayega jab Modi jayega.

Condemning Pema Khandu, Sanjoy said a Cabinet meeting should be called at the earliest to discuss on each and every aspect of the bill. “We the people of Arunachal Pradesh strongly oppose the CAB and all should know that the North-east is not a dumping ground of foreigners.”

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