CM Nitish Kumar opposes citizenship bill

Guwahati: In what may be called a shot in the arm for All-Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has not only opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, but also announced to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointing out the imminent threat to the identity of indigenous population of Assam and the Northeast if the bill is passed.

Mr Kumar said this to an AASU delegation, which met him in Patna on Wednesday as part of its strategy to take the movement to national level and form a strong political lobby against the proposed legislation.

“The support of Bihar chief minister is a major development for our cause as we need strong leaders at the national level to take up this issue and support our stand. Well aware of the history of the students movement in the state and the problem of cross-border infiltration, he has assured us to write to the PM,” AASU advisor, who was part of the delegation, said.

“He also told us that in a secular country like India, citizenship cannot be gra-nted on the basis of religion,” he added. Harivan-sh Narayan Singh, MP from Bihar and a member of the Joint Parliamenta-ry Committee, was also present in the meeting.

The student body which is leading a movement against the proposed bill has already met leaders from 11 national and regional political parties, including the TMC, Shiro-mani Akali Dal, TDP, DMK, AIADMK, CPM, CPI, Congress(I), BJP and BPF over the issue. It will also meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to build a strong political opinion against the bill.

“We have also sought an audience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue. But for reasons best known to him, the meeting has not been fixed yet,” the students leader said.

The student body further claimed that their movement was gaining momentum, both on the streets and at political level. At the state-level, regional units of the AASU are organising protest activities apart from its collaboration with the 28 ethnic bodies of Assam, while another movement was also launched with the Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad.