Bill unconstitutional: Arunachal Pradesh Congress

ITANAGAR: The Congress in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday termed the approval of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, as moved by the BJP-led NDA government as unconstitutional, discriminatory, communal and against the essence of democracy.
“The Constitution is explicitly clear that India is a secular and democratic country, but the Modi government in a last stroke of vote bank politics, has introduced this bill to appease voters on the basis of community and religion to spread hatred, communalism and chaos across the country, particularly in northeast India,” Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy said.
Addressing reporters here, Sanjoy said the bill was introduced at a time when the northeast is confronting a problem of refugees and illegal migration.
“The anti-tribal havoc created by the Modi government is not only rejected ab initio by Congress, but also the party will continue to object till it is scrapped, even if passed by Rajya Sabha,” he added. “Anyone living anywhere in India, including Arunachal Pradesh, six years before 2014 would get citizenship as mentioned in the bill. This is highly objectionable as this will make this tribal sate, protected by Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, a dumping ground of refugees and illegal migrants, making the indigenous population a minority,” Sanjoy said. He appealed to Khandu to take a clear stand on the bill.
When asked about the possible fate of the bill, Sanjoy pointed out that it needs to pass through vote-on-account in Rajya Sabha, where BJP is in minority.