Eleven NE political parties jointly oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 in Guwahati

Guwahati: On Tuesday, around eleven political parties of Northeastern Region of India had come together to jointly oppose the much debated Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 at Hotel Taj Vivanta.

During the political parties convention on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma said that after talking to all the delegations of the Northeastern Political parties over the phone, they unanimously agreed to jointly come together to oppose this bill.

The delegation from the convention had supported the cause and would meet and apprise the President of India and Prime Minister in the next few days, asserted CM Sangma.

Addressing the media, Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma said, “This meeting was a natural process, this is not intended to be politically motivated. We felt that we have been opposing at out state level, but what we felt very strongly is that we must come out together in one voice. We are hopeful that after this meeting and after discussions with Government of India and other political parties, the Government of India will understand the sentiments of the Northeastern people and will consider not going ahead with the bill.”

CM Sangma also mentioned that they are here to work with people who are against this bill, and accordingly reach out to everybody. “This is not about politics right now, this is really about the issue of the people,” added CM Sangma.

The delegation in the convention also stated through a resolution that the Government of India will have to look into issue from the point of the sentiments of the people of NE and the country as a whole.

The resolution also states that in the unfortunate scenario of the Government of India had failed to respond to the call of the people and presses ahead with the bill. The convention has also decided to form a committee to reach out to different parties across the country to support the cause.

Also, Mizoram Chief Minister, Zoramthanga said, “We oppose this controversial bill together. Moreover, we believe that if the Bill is implemented then would threaten and endanger the lives and identity of the indigenous people of the northeastern region. The delegation from the convention will be meeting the Prime Minister and President of the country,” said Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga.

The eleven political representatives include National Peoples’ Party (NPP) National Chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Chief of Mizo National Front (MNF) and Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, NPP Vice President Perestone Tynsong, NPP GS V Vele Raj Wangkheal, AGP President Atul Bora, AGP working president Keshab Mahanta, Former CM of Assam Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Senior AGP leader and former AGP President Brindabon Goswami, AGP leader Phanibhushan Choudhury, AGP leader Birendra Prasad Baishya, Ex-CM Nagaland TR Zeliang, Nagaland People’s Front MLA Imkong Inches, NPF MLA Dr Chumben Murry, NDPP President Chingwang Kanayak, NDPP VP Nungsang Aar, NDPP GS TL Mery, UDP President and Meghalaya Speaker Dr Dongkupar Roy, Manipur Deputy CM Joy Kumar Singh, Minister and GS of IPFT Mever Kumar Jamatia, Tripura MLA IPFT B Debbarma, HSPDP President KP Pangaing, HSPDP Minister Samlin Malngianj, PDF President Ivanlumiaj Marpaniang, KHNAM MLA Adelbert Nongrum, Chairman JD(U) NEE NSN Lotha.

The eleven parties that took part in the Political parties convention today includes National Peoples’ Party (NPP), Mizo National Front (MNF), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP), Indigenous’ Peoples Peoples’ Front of Tripura (IPFT), Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF), NDPP, KNHAM and JD (U).