AGP meets JPC chairman Rajendra Agarwal

NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI: An AGP delegation led by party president Atul Bora on Sunday called on Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chairman Rajendra Agarwal at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and reiterated its protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The Sunday’s meeting between AGP leaders and JPC chairman assumes significance, as the committee is likely to sit in a meeting with the Home Ministry on Tuesday to seek the latter’s opinion on the Citizenship Bill.

“We are against the Bill. We will not allow the government to pass the Bill since it violates the Assam Accord,” said AGP president Atul Bora who is also a Cabinet minister in the BJP led Government in Assam. The delegation also submitted a memorandum to the JPC chairman Agarwal.

Ever since the government announced that it will bring the Bill and ensure its passage, political and non political parties and organisations including All Assam Students Union (AASU) have vehemently started opposing the Bill.

The AGP delegation told to the JPC chairman that the party has already met President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and registered their protest against the Bill.

“The people of Assam will never accept the Bill under any circumstances. We, therefore, urge you to recommend the withdrawal of the proposed Bill in its totality,” the AGP delegation said.

On other hand, the AGP is making all arrangements to stage massive demonstrations in Guwahati on October 23 against the alleged conspiracy of the Centre to legalize stay of illegal Bangladeshis in the State by passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. As per the plan, the AGP will take out a large procession from the historic Latasil playground. The procession will pass through the prime locations in the city with an aim to garner public support against the proposed legislation.

Meanwhile, senior AGP leader and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said in Guwahati if the Citizenship Bill is passed, the AGP can no longer remain an ally in the BJP-led Government in Assam.