The Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today stated that it is for the full exemption of Meghalaya from the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and it will pursue the matter with party’s the central leadership.
The central government recently notified the rules for the CAA, the passage of which a few years ago elicited fierce opposition in the North East and other parts of India, though largely for different reasons. In the North East, the majority opposed to the CAA did so on the ground that it would allow hitherto illegal immigrants to become citizens of India and perhaps overwhelm the local tribal groups.
Although the implementation of the CAA, now that the rules have been drafted, could be a boon to the BJP when the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are held in the mainland, it has the potential to hurt the party in the North East.
Although most of Meghalaya, as a Sixth Schedule area, is meant to be excluded from the act already, the state BJP wants this exemption extended to the entire state.
“We are equally concerned and want the full exemption of not just Meghalaya but all the North East states,” said senior state BJP leader and cabinet minister AL Hek, adding that this should apply to Sixth Schedule areas and others. “In the interest of the state we will have to take it up with the Centre. We cannot just be mum on the issue.”
Asked if the move of the Centre to come out with the rules of the CAA weeks before the Parliamentary elections will act as a dampener for the state BJP’s prospects, Hek said, “We are asking for exemption for the state and once we get that exemption it will give us more advantage as the Centre has listened to the state BJP.”
