Modi reaches out to north-east on citizenship issue
the legislation could dilute local and indigenous identity by accelerating demographic change. The bill provides that “persons belonging to minority communities, namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan” shall not be considered illegal migrants.
The PM assured his Assamese audience that citizenship would be granted to the people from the three neighbouring countries only after they are vetted by the state government and after a recommendation by the latter.