Guwahati, Feb 17 (UNI) BJP national president Amit Shah today asserted that the
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be brought once again by the BJP if it retains
power at the Centre.
"The Citizenship Bill is BJP's commitment to the people and the party will include
it in the election manifesto for 2019 polls," Shah said, taking part in the 'Bhumi Poojan'
(ground breaking ceremony) of Assam state BJP's office here.
He pointed that the BJP had got the Bill passed in the Lok Sabha as it has majority,
but Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Mamata Banerjee stalled it from coming in the
Rajya Sabha.
“The bill is to save the identity of the people. I want to tell them don’t be happy, we
will bring the bill. We will put this in our manifesto for this is the commitment of the
party. Assam will not alone have to shoulder the burden," he added.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Shah maintained that BJP has internal democracy,
which is absent in the largest Opposition party.
He said, "Look at the Congress, one family, the Nehru-Gandhi family, ruled the
country for 55 years. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay, Rajiv, Sonia and
Rahul Gandhi. How can this party, which has no internal democracy, strengthen
democracy in the country."
Earlier in the day, addressing a party youth conclave at Lakhimpur in north Assam,
Shah said Assam will not be allowed to become next Kashmir.
Asserting that BJP was committed to the CAB, he said those opposed to the Bill
were defeated in recent Panchayat Elections in Assam, while the BJP emerged
victorious.
He said, “AGP fought the last Lok Sabha polls on its own and was defeated; in
assembly polls, it contested together with BJP and won. It opposed the Bill and
fought Panchayat polls alone and lost.”
"We initiated National Register of Citizens (NRC). We will not allow Assam to
become another Kashmir and through NRC, will weed out illegal immigrants from
Assam. Congress and AGP did nothing to implement the clause 6 of the Assam
Accord, which provides for constitutional safeguard for indigenous people," he
added.
Shah promised that after coming to power in the next general election, BJP will
implement the clause 6 which provides for constitutional, legislative and
administrative safeguards to protect the cultural, social, linguistic identity and
heritage of the Assamese people.
He added, “The government has started the process of giving Scheduled tribe
status to six communities. It was during the BJP’s rule that Gopinath Bordoloi and
Dr Bhupen Hazarika were given Bharat Ratna, Congress cannot think of giving
Bharat Ratna beyond its own people."
Referring to the Pulwama terror attack, Shah said the Narendra Modi-led
government will not allow the sacrifices to go in vain.
UNI SG BM