CCCAB holds final consultative meet with legislators
ITANAGAR, Nov 9: The legislators of the state have suggested the Consultative Committee on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CCCAB), 2016 and the state government to approach the central government to strengthen the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873 and the Chin Hills Regulation (CHR), 1896 by converting them to an Act before amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 so that the provisions of the proposed CAB do not affect Arunachal Pradesh.
The fifth and the last meeting of the consultative committee constituted by the state government was held under the chairmanship of its chairman Bamang Felix in the Nokmey Namaty hall of the state Legislative Assembly Secretariat here on Saturday.
The legislators expressed their apprehension that amendment to the principal act of 1955 will badly affect the state in all spheres unless the state is kept out of the purview of the CAB.
“Further, there is no cut-off year in the CAB which is likely to affect the demography of the state in the years to come,” they opined.
Earlier, the consultative committee held a series of meetings with all the stakeholders, including the political parties, students, and community based organizations to gather views and suggestions from them on the CAB.
Felix, who also is the state’s Home minister, assured that the views shared by cross sections of the society will be submitted to the state government.
The state government would present the recommendations to the central government to ensure that adequate provisions are incorporated in the CAB to safeguard the interests of the people of the state, he said.
Home and Political Affairs Commissioner Kaling Tayeng highlighted the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the proposed amendments to the Principal Act through PowerPoint.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said on 1 October that the Parliament will pass the CAB which will grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after seven years of stay in the country even if they do not possess proper documents.
The indigenous people of the northeastern states fear that entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.
During a meeting of the North East Democratic Alliance at Guwahati, Shah, also the BJP national president, had said the concerns of the North Eastern states will be incorporated in the CAB and had sought suggestions on the issue. (DIPR with PTI input)
