After the whole Northeast region erupted in anger against the move of the Centre to introduce the citizenship amendment bill (CAB), the government of India is now making efforts to try and break the deadlock by inviting civil society bodies, political parties and chief ministers for discussions in New Delhi. Those who have been invited for discussions from Arunachal include Chief Minister Pema Khandu along with several BJP leaders, representatives of the Congress, the JD (U), the NPP, the PPA, the AAPSU, the AITF, etc. The consultative committee on CAB which had been constituted by the state government has made it clear that the CAB is not acceptable to the people of the state.
The Arunachal delegation is expected to hold consultations on Saturday with home ministry officials. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also reportedly be present at the meeting. As the people of the state have unanimously agreed to reject the CAB, it will be interesting how the Centre moves ahead. Will they bulldoze and go ahead without caring for the sentiment of the indigenous communities, or will it have second thoughts over the CAB? Going by the way the central government has behaved over the last six months, the possibility is high that it will pass the CAB without worrying about the concerns of the NE people. The BJP has promised the Hindu migrant population in states like West Bengal and Assam to pass the CAB. They constitute a major vote bank for the saffron party. With the Bengal election the topmost priority of the BJP, the CAB looks inevitable. Once again, the Centre will exhibit that the voice of the indigenous community of the NE region does not matter in the power corridors of Delhi.