India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Monday that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is free to quit the ruling alliance in the northeastern state of Assam if it is opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The bill was introduced to India’s parliament in July 2016 by the BJP-led NDA Government.
It seeks to amend India’s Citizenship Act 1955 by granting citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Christians and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
On Sunday, AGP President Atul Bora made it clear that his party is opposed to the bill, which the BJP wants to be passed in the Winter Session of the Parliament.
Speaking to reporters in Silchar, BJP spokesperson Rajdeep Roy said a high-level state BJP team comprised of Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal and cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently met central BJP leaders to discuss issues pertaining to the bill.
“The State BJP leadership - including BJP National President Amit Shah and BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav - received a positive response from the Central leadership regarding this matter,” he said.
“The BJP is committed to providing security and shelter to the persecuted migrants. If they (AGP) want to break the alliance, they are most welcome.”