GUWAHATI: A gathering of around thousand people collectively protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Meghalaya’s capital on January 30 at Motphran.
Hamletson Dohling, Urban Affairs Minister and Lambor Malangiang, Meghalaya State Planning Board Chairman were also present at the protest rally, which was supported by many civil society groups.
Dohling said that the northeastern states “will burn if this Bill becomes a law” and appealed to PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister, Rajnath Singh not to table the controversial bill in Rajya Sabha. He also added that passing the bill would only benefit one political party and the Meghalaya government strongly opposes it.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on January 8, which will grant citizenship to six religious minority groups from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who are of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian descent.
