'Satisfied that state has been kept out of the purview of CAB": Arunachal Pradesh HM

Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Bamang Felix on Tuesday, December 10, stated that the state's student leaders are happy and satisfied with the centre's decision to keep Arunachal Pradesh out of the purview of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 (CAB). Speaking to the media, he said, "As per my knowledge, the Arunachal Pradesh students' organisation leaders are happy that Arunachal Pradesh has been kept out of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill purview. They are just participating in the protest to express solidarity with the wider North-eastern umbrella organisations." He further appealed that the law and order is maintained and peace is maintained in the state during the protest.

Felix further added, "The state government involved all stakeholders in discussions on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019. The state government opposed the 2016 form of the bill. We conveyed this to the central government. Home minister Amit Shah called us for a meeting where he gave an assurance that Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will not have an effect on Arunachal Pradesh."

CAB not applicable to certain NE states

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed on Monday, December 9, with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in Lok Sabha where 391 members were present and voting. According to sources, the bill will be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, December 11. However,  the Bill will not be applicable to certain states like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where the ILP system exists and those tribal regions of Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura which are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. 

Read: Adnan Sami backs CAB, says 'It is for religions that are persecuted in Theocratic States'

Read: BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya slams Congress over their stance on CAB

About Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Through this bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country. The Bill was passed by the Lower House of the Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha during the first term of the PM Narendra Modi government in the Centre.

Read: Jahnu Barua withdraws 'Bhoga Khirikee' from film festival in protest against CAB

Read: 'My house, my choice': Adnan Sami demolishes Pak PM Imran Khan over CAB, expletives in tow

(WITH ANI INPUTS)