JPC’s decision evokes wide-spread reaction

The decision of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to approve the draft Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in its present form has evoked wide-spread protest by several organisations in Assam.

The JPC led by Rajendra Agarwal will finalise the draft on Friday and likely to submit its report in parliament on January 7, a day before the conclusion of the winter session.

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), which had been continuously opposing the proposed Bill, said that if the Bill is passed then as many as 1.90 crore Hindu migrants from Bangladesh will be eligible for citizenship. The KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi, while addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Wednesday said, "If passed, the Bill will only push the Assamese people to doldrums."

"Since yesterday there has been publicity in a section of the media that six indigenous communities will be granted ST status. This is nothing but another jhumla," Gogoi further added.

Gogoi also said that 70 indigenous organisations including KMSS will hold massive rallies across the State to protest against the Bill from Thursday.