SHILLONG: The passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha has evoked widespread criticism from several quarters in the state even as chief minister Conrad K Sangma, who is also national president of the ruling National Peoples Party (NPP) has come under increased pressure to sever ties with the NDA and drop the BJP from the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).Former chief minister and present leader of opposition, Mukul Sangma has termed the passing of the Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act as the greatest betrayal of the people of the Northeast and the nation as a whole since Independence.“I condemn this anti-people government and a government that wants to crush the people of the Northeast,” he said while lambasting the BJP-led NDA government. Stating that a government is expected to response to the sentiments and aspirations of the people, he said, “The people of the Northeast expect the government of the day in Delhi will take cognizance of the sentiment which has been articulated over the months ever since the Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament.”“However, inspite of knowing the sentiment of the people of the Northeast particularly the microscopic indigenous ethnic groups of the region, they (BJP) have bulldozed this bill in the Lok Sabha,” he alleged, adding that this was a reflection of the complete insensitivity of the BJP government.On the other hand, Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy, who is president of the United Democratic Party (UDP), a constituent of the ruling MDA, accused the BJP-led NDA government of encouraging migration from Bangladesh to Northeast by going ahead with the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016.On the passage of the Bill in Lok Sabha, the Speaker said, “We cannot do anything because they have the numbers in Parliament and they have their own vision and interest. What I feel is this law should not be allowed to be implemented in Northeast”.On relationship with the BJP-led NDA, he said, “We don’t have MPs and we have nothing to do with the NDA because it is a coalition of MPs. In Meghalaya it is not a BJP-led government but NPP, UDP and other regional parties’ government. The BJP is insignificant in our MDA government. I don’t think there is BJP ideology with our MLAs”.Asked if the BJP would be removed from the MDA, Roy said, “What is the benefit if we do like that? There will be no impact at all. We will stick with the principle in opposing this bill brought by the BJP”.Meanwhile, the North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF) led by United Liberation Front of Asom’s (Ulfa) pro-talk faction’s general secretary Anup Chetia will open its chapter in Meghalaya soon, and three organizations which will be part of the forum would observe a ‘black flag day’ on January 11 here in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. – MD (10-01-19).

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