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Modi assures people of North-east states their rights are safe
Protests have erupted across North-east, especially Assam and Tripura, over the CAB, with several civil society groups, students’ unions and political parties seeking immediate withdrawal of the legislation, contending that it would threaten the interests of indigenous people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress party and its allies on Thursday for allegedly spreading rumours about the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the North-east, and asserted that his government would safeguard their language, culture and identity “under all circumstances”.
“Congress is stoking fire in North-east. They are spreading rumours that the new law would now open flood gates for Bangladeshi migrants. However, the law is only applicable to those immigrants who came and settled in different parts of India till December 31, 2014. But they are telling lies. Almost all NE states are outside the ambit of this law,” the Prime Minister said, while addressing an election rally in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad.
After a seven-hour debate, the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, or CAB, 125-99 on Wednesday. The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill shortly after midnight on Tuesday, 334-106. It will become law once President Ram Nath Kovind formally gives his assent to the bill.
Protests have erupted across North-east, especially Assam and Tripura, over the CAB, with several civil society groups, students’ unions and political parties seeking immediate withdrawal of the legislation, contending that it would threaten the interests of indigenous people.
The PM has, however, asserted that the bill would have no impact on the country’s citizens and those saying otherwise are lying to mislead common people.
In a series of tweets early on Thursday, the Prime Minister assured the people of North-east that they have “nothing to worry”, saying that he and the central government were “totally” committed to constitutionally safeguarding the political, linguistic, cultural and lands rights of the Assamese people, as per the spirit of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
“I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I want to assure them- no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow,” he said.
At the rally in Dhanbad, he highlighted that his government’s policy has always been to work in tandem with the regional parties.“Even then Congress and its allies, whose politics run with the support of immigrants, are spreading rumors. I want to appeal people of Assam and other NE states to keep faith in me, I will ensure that no harm will be done to you. BJP’s Modi government’s priority is to regard and strengthen your culture, tradition and language. We are working in tandem with regional parties, local organizations, committees and councils for the development of these states.”
In line with his party’s stand since the CAB was introduced, the PM asserted that the Muslims have no reason to fear as the CAB will not affect them. “The law will not impact Muslims in any way, I want to assure. Muslims have nothing to do with CAB,” he said.
“When Taliban attacks were on the rise in Afghanistan, dozens of Christian families came to India, fearing for their lives. But the Congress government did not support them. Today, when the BJP is trying to bring a law to grant citizenship to millions of such oppressed and exploited, Dalit, Sikh, Christian families, the Congress is opposing the move,” he said.
“The country was divided in 1947 and then Bangladesh was created in 1971. Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhas, Jains, Christians and Parsis, who were then residing for generations in Pakistan and Bangladesh and who never demanded for a separate country, were forced to accept these decisions. They were tortured and ousted to take shelter in India illegally but Congress mistreated them here also and didn’t help them out, “ Modi said.
The prime minister said, “In every election, Congress leaders promise to accord them citizenship right. But get distracted later.”
“People can see how their leaders opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament when the BJP government tabled it for voting on Wednesday,” he said, adding, “Congress party knows well that its vote bank had been eroded as poor and dalits had rejected it. It is now engaged in misguiding Muslims also. Our Muslim brothers and sisters, who are already the citizen’s of India, need not to worry about this law.”
Reacting to his speech, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha general secretary, Supriyo Bhattacharya, said the PM is trying to invoke CAB in Jharkhand knowing well that the BJP was losing the polls. “Such a strategy will have no impact as people of the state have decided to root out a corrupt and inefficient BJP government,” he said.
Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance earlier in the day to the people of Assam that their culture and rights would not be affected, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the entire northeast is “burning” in protest against the CAB. “What is happening in the region is a repeat of what happened in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Azad said the assurances “don’t really matter when the people are being killed”.
“By imposing Section 144, curfew and ordering lathi-charge, and not allowing people to speak out, you are killing them. Do assurances really matter thereafter? It is same as what has happened with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. What is happening in the northeastern states is a repeat of what has happened in J&K,” he told reporters.
(With PTI inputs)
