MHA Invites Northeast Groups for Discussion on Citizenship Amendment Bill

New Delhi: The home ministry has invited leaders of socio-cultural bodies, students' organisations and political parties from the northeastern states for discussions over the next two days on the plans to amend the Citizenship Act, officials said on Thursday.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill intends to grant Indian nationality to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Those who have been invited for discussions on Friday and Saturday include North East Students' Organisation, All Bodo Students' Union and students bodies from Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Leaders of several political parties — both regional and state chiefs of national political parties — and heads of socio-cultural organisations have also been invited for the discussions, an official said.

The home ministry has convened the meetings in the wake of strong protests registered by many organisations against the bill in the northeast.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to be present in the meetings, another official said.

The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, in order to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who come to India after facing religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan even if they don't possess proper documents.

This was an election promise of the BJP in the 2014 and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

A large section of people and organisations in the northeast have opposed the bill, saying it will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of all illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.

Congress, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a few other political parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill, claiming that citizenship can't be given on the basis of religion.

The BJP-led NDA government had introduced the bill in its previous tenure and got the Lok Sabha's approval. But the government did not introduce it in the Rajya Sabha, apparently due to vehement protests in the northeast.

The bill lapsed following the dissolution of the last Lok Sabha.

According to the earlier bill, those who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, will benefit from the proposed legislation after it becomes an act.

There is a possibility of changes in the cut-off date too, another official said.

The Modi government has listed the bill in its items of business for the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament and is set to push for its passage.

The BJP and its Hindutva affiliates have insisted that minorities from the three countries, which include a significant number of Hindus, should be granted Indian citizenship.

The Centre had on Monday reviewed the security situation in the northeastern states following the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill over the past few weeks.

Heads of intelligence agencies of all northeastern states, Assam Rifles and paramilitary forces attended the meeting.

The meeting, convened by the National Security Council Secretariat, analysed the intelligence inputs coming from the ground with regard to opposition to the bill, a security official said.

The top officials gave detailed presentations in the meeting on the findings of their respective agencies and forces about the protests and people's approach towards the proposed legislation.

The National Security Council Secretariat is headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.