The Asian Age

NPP threatens to leave NDA if Citizenshi­p Bill is pushed

Students’ union warns of unrest, says govt should not introduce Bill in RS

- MANOJ ANAND

The National Peoples’ Party ( NPP) led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has threatened to sever ties with BJP led National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) while the North East Students Organisati­on ( NESO) has warned of unrest in the whole of the Northeast if the contentiou­s Citizenshi­p ( Amendment) Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Mr Sangma, who left for New Delhi on Sunday, said that he would be making this announceme­nt if the Centre decides to go ahead with the contentiou­s bill in the Rajya Sabha.

He pointed out that the

NPP is part of the government in four states in the Northeast and the people of the region have trust that his party would take the lead in addressing the issues.

It is significan­t that if the party pulls out of NDA, it may affect the stability of the government in Manipur as four NPP members are supporting the BJP- led government.

The NPP leader and deputy chief minister of Manipur, Y. Joykumar Singh, said that if the NPP pulls out of the NDA government, it may lead to the collapse of the government in his state.

Meanwhile on Sunday, a delegation of NESO left for New Delhi to mobilise support among the various political parties to oppose the Citizenshi­p Amendment Bill.

Earlier in a statement, NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa reiterated that the government should not introduce the bill in the Rajya Sabha and in case it is passed, there will be unrest in the Northeast.

“The government of India should take the blame and be responsibl­e for any eventualit­y and it will also further alienate the people of the Northeast,” he said.

 ?? — PTI ?? Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha addresses a meeting against the Citizenshi­p Amendment Bill 2016, in Guwahati on Sunday.
— PTI Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha addresses a meeting against the Citizenshi­p Amendment Bill 2016, in Guwahati on Sunday.

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