ASSAM CM Sonowal deplores False Propaganda About Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

ASSAM Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has alleged that disinformation campaign is being conducted over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill across the state and other parts of the northeast by vested interests. It is a totally lie by some people who assert that if the bill is passed by Parliament six minority communities will be allowed to apply for citizenship after only a year’s residency. “This is a lie. We are not going to betray the people of Assam. The truth is that the bill is not enabling any foreigner to come here. The bill, where the cut off date is December 31, 2014, will only allow the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians to apply for citizenship after a mandatory residency of seven years,” Sonowal said at the closing ceremony of the historical Junbeel Mela at Morigaon .Applications of these people for citizenship will be verified by the local authorities of the concerned districts and not by the Central government, says ANI. The Chief Minister also said that his government is duty-bound to protect the interests of the indigenous communities of the state. He urged The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and intelligentsia to lend their full cooperation to ensure full implementation of the Clause VI of the Assam Accord which would ensure safeguarding the interests of the ethnic communities of Assam. Sonowal also said that the previous governments both in the state as well as at the Centre only paid lip service to serve the interests of the people of Assam and nothing concrete was done on ground.”However, the present Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi took keen interest in protecting the rights and privileges of the people of Assam.