Will reintroduce CAB amidst consensus: Ranjit Dass

Leaders of many organizations, parties join BJP on its 40th foundation day

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: On its 40th foundation day, the BJP in Assam has spelt it out that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019 will be reintroduced in the Parliament only through consultation and consensus. The State leadership of the party has, however, expressed its ignorance on the CAB route map to be followed to reintroduce it in the Parliament.

Addressing the media at Atal Behari Vajpayee Bhawan at Hengrabari here on Saturday, State BJP president Ranjit Kumar Dass said: “The CAB remained an unexplored Bill in the past few months. Misinterpretation of the Bill led most of the people to mix up ‘foreigners’ and ‘refugees’ even though these two differ like chalk and cheese. But, the CAB is no longer hazy. Much of the misunderstandings on the Bill have been cleared of, and leaders of many parties and organizations opposing the CAB have joined the BJP.”

Dass further said: “The AGP had to fight the recent panchayat poll on its own, mainly because of the CAB. However, now the AGP is fighting the general election in alliance with the BJP even as the latter hasn’t dropped the CAB from its agenda.”

On the would-be route map for the reintroduction of the CAB in the Parliament, Dass said: “It’s not yet clear as to how the CAB will be reintroduced in the Parliament. National BJP president Amit Shah says that it will now be reintroduced only through consultation and consensus. However, it’s clear that the CAB is not a threat to the language, literature and culture of Assam. Rather, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have taken steps to protect the jaati, maati and bheti of Assam.”

Meanwhile, in sync with the foundation day of the party, leaders of many organizations and social workers who were hitherto inimical to the CAB joined the party at its head office in Guwahati. A number of leaders of KMSS’ students’ wing Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti (CMSS), including its finance secretary Hiranya Pathari, joined the BJP on Saturday. Amongst those who joined the BJP on Saturday is Jadav Das, who was on record protesting nude in front of the Parliament House in Delhi last year against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.”

Senior leaders of the BJP dwelt at length on the history of the party.

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