Hek called upon leaders from all political backgrounds and stressed the importance of addressing this issue in the interest of the state’s welfare.....
Digital desk: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya has expressed support for obtaining the state's complete exemption from the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister AL Hek declared that they will take this issue up with the national leadership, arguing that the exemption has to be extended to every Northeastern state, regardless of whether or not they are covered by the Sixth Schedule.
“We are equally concerned and we want full exemption of not just Meghalaya but all states in the Northeast,” Hek said.
Hek called upon leaders from all political backgrounds and stressed the importance of addressing this issue in the interest of the state’s welfare and prioritizing the well-being of the people above all else.
In response to queries on the CAA rules' announcement so close to the Lok Sabha elections, Hek said he was confident that getting Meghalaya exemption would help the BJP's chances of winning the state.
Meantime, Sanbor Shullai, the BJP's MLA for South Shillong, urged the public not to fall for disinformation efforts on the CAA, emphasizing that Meghalaya and other Sixth Scheduled territories are expressly excluded from its provisions.
According to Shullai, the Congress had previously altered the Citizenship Act of 1955, and the tribal territories were not excluded. "However, the BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has now exempted the tribal districts from the CAA. The CAA specifies that only those who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, and who have completed a minimum period of stay for not less than five years will be considered. So, considering the clause, the exemption is only for pending applications and for those who have entered India before 2014 and have stayed in the same locality for not less than 5 years", he said.
Shullai claimed that the village councils, welfare societies, and other reputable organizations in Shillong's non-scheduled areas have clearly said that they did not receive any applications of this type filed before 2014. He also added that the Christian community should be applauded for being a part of the CAA 2019 since it will help prosecute Christians from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah deserve praise for this decision.
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