JPC on citizenship Bill to meet on Dec 31

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be held on December 31, Monday.

Before the government term expires in 2019, the BJP-led NDA government plans to bring the Bill to parliament.

Several members had objected to the meeting of the JPC on Monday. However, it has been settled on Friday and the JPC is meeting on December 31, confirmed BJP Lok Sabha MP Ramen Deka.

As many as 13 amendments were moved by the members and the meeting, after discussing them, is likely to go for clause by clause consideration of the Bill, said sources.

This Citizenship Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship.

State Congress president Ripun Bora, reacting to the development, said that when the JPC had first visited Assam, they had requested that they should tour the State again because sitting in Guwahati they will not be able to feel pulse of the State.

(Featured image: Oneindia)