Union Minister Amit Shah assured the people of Assam that Centre will not touch Article 371 in the state. Most of the states given special provisions under Article 371 are in the Northeast.
Guwahati (Assam) | Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the Centre will not interfere with Article 371 of the Indian Constitution implemented in the Northeastern states and not a single illegal immigrant would be allowed to stay in the region.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Northeast council in Guwahati, he said that after Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu Kashmir, there were attempts to misinform and misguide the people of the northeast that Article 371 would be scrapped by the centre too.
Most of the States which are given special provisions under Article 371 are in the Northeast and the special status aims to preserve their culture. However, Article 371B deals with special provision with respect to Assam.
“I have clarified in parliament that this is not going to happen and I am saying it again today in the presence of eight Chief Ministers of the Northeast that both the Articles are different and the Centre will not touch Article 371 said”, Shah.
The government has asserted it has no intention of removing Article 371 of the constitution, which involved special provisions for 11 states, including 6 states of the Northeast.
On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Home Minister said, “Questions are being raised about the NRC by different sections but today I just want to say that BJP led government is committed to ensure that not a single illegal immigrant enters the region. The NRC has also been completed within the stipulated time frame”.
Shah’s visit comes just days after the of the final NRC list in the state was released on August 31.
Pointing out that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been a drastic decline in terrorism and militant activities, Shah said, “I do not want to quote statistics but the entire country and the world know that we have been able to control it”.
The misguided people who take up arms are our own but are tools in the hands of vested foreign forces, he said. He further pointed out that border dispute between the different states of the Northeast is a major issue which must end.
Shah also questioned that If Indo- Bangla border dispute can be resolved why not disputes among our states in the region?
“Rise above disputes and support each other, so that the region can develop together. Narendra Modi has given top priority to the development of the Northeast and he was Prime Minister in 40 years to attend an NEC meeting at shilling”, he said.
“No Congress PM had attended an NEC meeting and thought I do not want to make a political statement but among all the eight CMs present at the meeting, more are from the Congress but all are Northeast Democratic Alliance constituents,” said Amit Shah.
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