Citizenship Amendment Bill: JPC won't submit report in Parliament's Monsoon session

Guwahati: BJP Lok Sabha MP and member of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, Ramen Deka, on Monday said the JPC will not summit the report in the upcoming session of the parliament for the committee is yet to take views of Tripura and West Bengal on the Bill.

The Monsoon session of the Parliament is slated to begin on July 18 and the committee is yet to take views of Tripura and West Bengal, said Deka.
“Since the Bill is for the whole country, views of all the states are necessary. Till we take the views of these states, it is not possible to submit the report,” he said.


There are demands from several quarters seeking a re-visit of Assam, especially Upper Assam, hill areas and border areas, by the JPC.

In a meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Deka said he received assurances over the Centre's commitment towards respecting the views of Assam and its people. Steps would be taken taking Assam into confidence, Singh said.

Assam, on its part, is sharply divided over the Bill as the Bengali-dominated Barak valley is in favour of the Bill, while the Brahmaputra valley is opposing it.

In May, the JPC visited Assam and Meghalaya. Following this visit, there have been protest in Assam.

There is immense pressure on Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to take a Meghalaya-like stand. The Conard Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), which has BJP as its ally in the coalition government, has decided to go against the Bill.

The Bill pertains to making minority communities from other countries, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, eligible to apply for Indian citizenship. The JPC is currently considering the proposals of the Bill.