Key JPC meeting on Assam Citizenship Bill postponed

GUWAHATI: The meeting of Joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 scheduled to be held on April 12 has been postponed. The meeting is likely to be held on April 17 in New Delhi.

There is bitter opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Assam.

Ramen Deka, BJP MP from Mangaldoi and a member of the Committee, said that the meeting was postponed as some parliamentarians and groups wanted the meeting to be held after the Bihu festival.


As many as 28 groups from the state have received JPC’s invitation for a public hearing. This will be the second hearing of parties from Assam.

The All Assam Students Union (Aasu), together with 26 other ethnic organisations, have given joint memoranda to the JPC.

Sushmita Dev, Lok Sabha MP of the Congress and member of the JPC, told ET, "The meeting will take place on April 17. In the proposed Bill there is no provision to give citizenship, it only talks about according refugee status to the affected people."

The bill for making minority communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for applying for Indian citizenship has been referred to a JPC of both the Houses.

Lorin Jyoti Gogoi, the general secretary of Aasu, said that the JPC was adopting delaying tactics. "Though the bill is facing massive opposition in Assam, JPC is yet to visit Assam. The committee has visited Gujarat and Rajasthan. It seems the JPC is not serious about the threat which indigenous people from Assam are facing."

The Assam accord was signed after a six year-long anti foreigners’ movement (1979-1985).

There is apprehension in the state that giving citizenship rights to Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh will adversely affect the culture, language and tradition of Assam. The cut-off date for the detection and deportation of foreigners as per the Assam accord is March 25, 1971 irrespective of religious affiliation.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a partner of BJP in Assam's ruling coalition, has expressed its reservations on the bill and has announced its opposition.