GUWAHATI, May 13 - While the BJP has all along been in favour of granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis and other minorities from neighbouring countries, the State unit of the saffron party today refused to openly back the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, even as it hinted that party workers, who come out openly against the proposed legislation, may face disciplinary action.
Asked repeatedly during a press conference here today about the BJP Assam unit�s position on the Bill, State party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass refused to give a direct answer and only said that it will hold talks with various organizations and individuals on the issue after the final draft of the NRC is out.
He said that some forces are trying to incite people of Assam on the issue of the Bill. �At this moment it is difficult to argue things with logic,� Dass said.
He added that the BJP has requested the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to ensure that the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) visits Assam again to seek opinion on the Bill.
He said that certain elements are acting in a way �which make us feel that an attempt is being made to derail the NRC update process.� Dass said such elements are trying to incite masses by making inflammatory statements.
�When the JPC visits the State again, we request that nobody incites or provokes the people. Everybody should express their views in a democratic manner,� said the State BJP chief.
He said that a meeting of the party�s senior office-bearers was held here
today where it was decided that henceforth no BJP leader or member will make any public statements on the issue without permission of the party. He said any party member found to be violating the directive will be subjected to disciplinary action.
The meeting was attended by central BJP leaders Ram Madhav and Ajay Jamwal, Dass, State ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Ranjit Dutta and Guwahati MP Bijoya Chakravarty.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia today urged Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to advise the Governor and Speaker of the Assembly to summon a special session of the House to pass a pending resolution relating to upholding of the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, and particularly Clause 6 of the pact.
�The situation prevailing in the State over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 made it imperative for the House to pass without delay the pending Private Member�s Resolution in question, which was moved by Congress MLA Abdul Khaleque... a united stand by all legislators of Assam appear all the more necessary following the escapist attitude displayed by Sonowal during his interaction with a delegation of editors on Saturday... The Chief Minister had said that he would quit if pushed, but failed to assert that he would stand up and fight for protecting the interests of Assam,� Saikia said.
