In a panel discussion at the India Today Conclave 2019 in New Delhi, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that his party strongly opposes the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill irrespective of any religion, in which Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also took part.
Speaking at the discussion, Sangma said, "Illegal immigration is something that my political party has been against and whether you are a Muslim, or a Hindu, or a Christian or any religion, I think an illegal immigrant is an illegal immigrant for us."
Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the session said, "We are just giving citizenship to Hindus. But we have given a country to Muslims. We have given Pakistan to Muslims,"
Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party, said India was not a Hindu country and told Himanta Biswa Sarma that, as a minister of Assam, he was violating the Assam Accord.
"In the context of Assam, I fully support the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill,"- said Sarma
He said. "We have already given a whole lot of country to the Muslims. Now we are just giving citizenship to Hindus, Christians, or small minorities of those countries, who have been suffering religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence. "
Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party, said India was not a Hindu country and told Himanta Biswa Sarma that, as a minister of Assam, he was violating the Assam Accord. He asked him why he assumed Hindus and Christians were persecuted.
Later in the discussion, when Owaisi asked Sarma if he wanted to divide India, the Assam minister said he didn't want to make any personal allegations.
"I feel you are trying to make Assam another Kashmir," Sarma replied to Owaisi.
