SILCHAR, Dec 27 - At a time when there is great scepticism in Assam over the fate of the notification issued by the Union Home Ministry on granting citizenship to displaced Bengali Hindus in the country, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today hinted that the government is committed to granting them citizenship and a bill in this regard is likely to be tabled in Parliament soon.
Targeting the Congress and, in particular, the local MP Susmita Dev, Swaraj, in her speech at the Gandhi Mela ground here said, �They are happy to disrupt the proceedings in Parliament voicing their opposition on many important issues. Many bills remain to be discussed and passed in the House. The Citizenship Bill will be tabled in the House soon, but they (Congress) must ensure their support if and when it is tabled.�
Responding to the demand for setting up a Regional Passport Seva Kendra at Silchar, Swaraj nodded in the affirmative saying �Silchar will soon get a regional passport office, which would ease the problems of people of the Barak Valley.�
Addressing party workers who came from all parts of the district and also from Karimganj, Hailakandi and Dima Hasao, Swaraj said that each BJP cadre must go to the people and make them aware about the vision of the government. She pointed out that the government is focusing on all-round development of Assam and has already sanctioned Rs one lakh crore for roads and Rs 28 thousand crore for the development of railway network in the State. The Union Minister also highlighted various pro-poor schemes initiated by the NDA Government.
On the other hand, the Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister and State BJP president, Sarbananda Sonowal assured the people that his party will protect the interests of the Bengali Hindus in the State.
�We will make sure that the Bengali Hindus stay safe in the State,� Sonowal maintained. He informed that a Swami Vivekananda Kendra will be set up in the Barak Valley and a special package to revive the status of the Cachar Paper Mill will also be announced in January.
Former Congress Minister and now a frontline member of the BJP, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the revolutionary schemes like TET, provincialisation of schools, which were brought during his tenure, will be revived if the BJP is voted to power.
The BJP�s national general secretary Ram Madhav, MP Bijoya Chakravarty and various leaders of the State BJP also spoke on the occasion.
