GUWAHATI, Jan 3 - NDA constituent Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has come out against the decision of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to approve the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
AGP president and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora termed the JPC�s decision as �unilateral� and added that it is unacceptable.
Bora�s statement came after separate meetings of the AGP Legislature Party and of the party�s senior leadership held here today.
�AGP has been opposing the Bill even before constitution of the JPC and we had met leaders of various political parties and urged them to oppose the proposed legislation... When the JPC visited Assam, we had urged it to take the views of people residing across various places in the State. The JPC had then announced that it would visit Assam again. But, unfortunately, JPC has now taken a stand unilaterally and by ignoring the public sentiment prevalent in the State,� he said.
The AGP leader added that the regional party will not compromise on the issue of the Bill and will continue the fight against it.
AGP leaders will soon meet Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and urge him to come out against the proposed legislation.
In addition, a delegation from the party will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make its stand clear on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the Assam Accord.
Bora added that yesterday�s decision of the Union Cabinet approving the setting up of a high level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has failed to allay the apprehensions of the people of the State.
�The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, if passed, will go against the provisions of the Assam Accord. AGP will never agree to any decision which may dilute the Assam Accord,� he said.
