Nagaland government rejects Citizenship Bill, passes resolution against it
What's the story
The Nagaland government has passed a resolution in the Assembly, rejecting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, amid a walkout by 26 opposition MLAs. The resolution, passed on Monday, outrightly rejected the bill, stating it cannot be implemented in Nagaland as the proposed legislation will impact the "unique history and status of the Nagas under the Constitution". Read the details here.
Statement
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio moved the resolution on Saturday
The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday. It also expressed solidarity with the states and communities of the Northeast in opposing the bill, as it has the potential of "changing the demographic profile, which will be against the interest of indigenous tribes and can divest them of their constitutionally guaranteed political, cultural and economic rights".
Information
Would not support the resolution in its present form: Opposition
The opposition MLAs walked out of the assembly, saying they wouldn't support the resolution in its present form. The Bill, passed in Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India.