Centre dilly-dallying citizenship issue: CM

BY Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Dec 28: A day after Exterl Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj accused the Congress of preventing passing of important bills, including the one to regularize stay of minority migrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan, by stalling Parliament proceedings, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today hit back saying the Central government was dilly-dallying the issue of granting citizenship to 'persecuted' refugees.

Gogoi said that the Central leadership "only pays lip service just to brighten its electoral prospects".

Taking a dig at the Centre, Gogoi said that even after issuing the notification, the NDA dispensation did not initiate any legislation with regard to 'citizenship' to the 'persecuted' refugees. He asked the Exterl Affairs Minister to clarify what concrete steps the Centre has taken in this regard.

The Central government had in September issued a notification regularizing stay of minority migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The notification has been sent to all states for follow up, it is learnt.

Assam government has wrote back seeking certain clarification on the notification, officials had earlier said.