Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram kept out of CAA for there is no Hindu Bengali population there: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Assam, Tripura and Sikkim has been brought under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for there is Hindu Bengali population in these states. States like Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram are out of CAA for there is no Hindu Bengali population there.

Replying to a question during interacting with young students at the Youth Parliament organized by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM)at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on Thursday Sarma said that it is not correct to say while Assam is under the ambit of CAA and other North eastern states are left out of ambit of CAA.

He said, “In Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram as per government of India records there is hardly any Hindu Bengali population. So adding these states will not mean anything but will unnecessarily fuel protest and apprehension may create law and order situation.”


Sarma said, “In these states there were hardly any application of Citizenship, there was not a single application. In Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh has Inner Line permit, Meghalaya barring Shillong has sixth schedule. In Tripura, Assam and Sikkim there is Hindu Bengali population.”

The minister, “We thought just not mention Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh for it will un necessarily create a artificial apprehension and thereby law and order problem. Like in case of Assam a misinformation campaign would have unleashed in these states that Hindu Bengali will come."

He added, “In Assam’s tea estates areas such misinformation campaign has seen people guarding in the night to keep a watch. So not mentioning these states in the law was a practical reality. “

Assam is witnessing bitter protest against CAA since December last. The Supreme Court’s has decided to treat CAA case of Assam and Tripura separately.