ASSAM, INDIA, October 16, 2016 (Northeast Today): There is a growing discontentment amongst a section of Assamese people who had voted the to power in the state over granting of citizenship of Hindu Migrants from Bangladesh. This move which directly violates the 1985 Assam Accord will ensure that almost 200,000 Bangladeshi Hindus will be given citizenship in the state of Assam, something which PM Modi had promised before the 2014 elections.
The proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 – introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Modi government on December 23, 2014 – will grant Indian citizenship not only to the Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh, but also to all Hindus, Parsis, Christians, Buddhists and Sikhs of Pakistan and Afghanistan, who are seeking refuge in India “due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution.” It also reduces their period of stay in India required to become eligible for citizenship from 11 years to six years.
Several critics and thinkers have questioned the rationale behind the move “If the Centre wants to rehabilitate the migrants then they should spread them across the country and not just one state” says one such individual adding that he did not want Assam to become another Tripura where the indigenous tribal population have become a complete minority in the state.