Meghalaya resolution seeks exemption for state

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Assembly on Monday passed a resolution urging the Centre to exempt the entire state, including the areas not covered under the Sixth Schedule, from purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019.

The resolution was moved by chief minister Conrad K Sangma during the second day of the assembly’s budget session here.

The chief minister informed the House that 23 municipal wards out of 27 are under the Sixth Schedule areas, while the remaining four covering an area of 2 square kilometers (out of 23,000 sq.km) fall outside it. The areas under the Sixth Schedule do no fall in the ambit of CAA.

“To ensure that the entire state is exempted, the state government has taken additional measures to protect the indigenous people of the state by passing a resolution to urge the Government of India to exempt the entire state, including the 2 sq.km not covered under Sixth Schedule from the purview of the CAA.”

He added that since the Act has come into force, nobody has applied for citizenship from the state government.

The opposition Congress, however, demanded that the MDA government ask the Centre to repeal the Act.

The ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) includes the BJP.

“...this House must take a resolution like we did on the Inner Line Permit (issue) unanimously saying we reject and disapprove the whole content of the CAA and urge the Centre to repeal CAA,” Leader of the Opposition Mukul Sangma said.