Amid growing protests in Assam over the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Governor Jagdish Mukhi on Tuesday said the State was divided over the matter.
“Assam is divided over the issue. The Brahmaputra valley has a different view and the Barak valley has a different one. Not only political parties, but social, cultural, literary organisations have taken their respective stands. The State government is seized of the matter. I have seen the Union Home Minister’s statement and that is sufficient,” Mr. Mukhi told presspersons here after attending a two-day conference of Governors.
Last week, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said any future step regarding the law would be taken after consulting all stakeholders. Assam has been witnessing resistance to the Centre’s move to bring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 that seeks to grant citizenship to religious minorities (Hindus, Sikhs) from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who sought refuge in India due to religious persecution.
The Governor made it clear that as the Constitutional head of the State, he will not comment on political issues but tried playing down fears of a law and order problem due to the ongoing updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He said commendable work was being done to “prepare an error-free list of genuine Indians living in the State.”