Facing public anger, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has decided to lead a delegation to New Delhi with an appeal that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh withdraw the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill.
The legislation, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha amid allegations of "religious discrimination", aims to hasten the citizenship process for non-Muslim migrants from three neighbouring countries. Thousands across the Northeast have hit the streets in protest, clashing with the police and showing black flags to BJP politicians.
Mr Sangma is the president of the National People's Party, a BJP ally.
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance delegation has already sought appointments with PM Modi and Mr Singh, sources close to the chief minister said. "As a government, we took the lead in opposing this bill and we will continue opposing it. Now, the situation is slightly different because the bill is yet to be passed in the Rajya Sabha, and it is not a complete amendment yet. So, we are waiting and watching what the government does," Mr Sangma told reporters in Shillong.
The Meghalaya cabinet has already passed a resolution opposing the bill, with even its lone BJP minister -- AL Hek -- siding with the majority. In neighbouring Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad has already snapped ties with the BJP on the issue.
The BJP suffered yet another setback in Meghlaya as Sofiur Rahman, head of the State BJP's Minority Morcha, resigned from the party in protest against the controversial bill. He has warned the party of an impending defeat if it tables the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
Both the BJP legislators in the state have already urged the centre to reconsider its position on the bills, saying that the protests will go out of control if it is pushed through the upper house too.
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