NEW DELHI, July 27 - Moving along expected lines, the Parliament on Thursday extended the term of the Satyapal Singh-led Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), looking into the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, to the last week of the Winter Session.
A resolution to that effect was moved in the Lok Sabha by Dr Satyapal Singh and Meenakshi Lekhi and passed by the House here this afternoon.
Last November, the JPC was given more time to submit its report, with the Lok Sabha approving a proposal in this regard. The proposal seeking more time to submit the report was moved by the panel�s head and BJP member Satyapal Singh and it was approved by the House.
As reported, the Bill was listed for consideration and passage during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, even as the Dr Satyapal Singh Committee was going through public petitions. According to a member of the committee, it last met on May 21 when it heard representations from the Sindhi community. The committee has so far visited Rajasthan and is scheduled to tour Odisha, though no dates have been fixed for the Assam visit.
Meanwhile, All Assam Students� Union (AASU) has launched a campaign opposing the Bill and has been meeting leaders of various political parties. Accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Biswajeet Daimary and ex-MP Kumar Deepak Das, the delegation, headed by Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya, has, during the last two days, called on leaders of Biju Janata Dal, CPI, CPM, Trinamool Congress, Telegu Desam Party, Akali Dal, AIADMK and DMK, among others.
Sources privy to the deliberations said that the Left parties have expressed their opposition to the Bill, while the Trinamool Congress has also conveyed that they are committed to oppose the Bill.
