BJP legislator, Sanbor Shullai threatens to quit over CAB, AL Hek remains non committal

Shillong, Jan 31: BJP legislator from South Shillong, Sanbor Shullai on Thursday threatened to resign from the party if the NDA government went ahead in implementing the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2016.

Shullai made this announcement while addressing a massive rally at Jaïaw here where thousands gathered opposing the CAB and demanding for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit.

The rally was organized by the Confederation of Hynñiewtrep Social Organizations (CoHSO) on Thursday.

Shullai said that he would give a one-month deadline to the NDA government on the need to exempt Meghalaya and other North Eastern states from this bill.

He said that he had also submitted a memorandum seeking the intervention of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on January 11, but there was no response till date.

“I will again go to New Delhi on Tuesday to serve this ultimatum. If the Centre fails to act on the matter, I am ready to resign from the BJP because for me the interest of the indigenous people comes first. I have taken up the issue and because I am afraid of elections. I am not afraid of the BJP also, but I am afraid of the CAB,” Shullai said.

The BJP MLA said that a negative impact is waiting if the bill is implemented by the Centre.

Meanwhile BJP legislator and Health minister, A.L. Hek who did not attend the rally, told reporters in Secretariat that the BJP and its legislators in Meghalaya along with the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2016 since the bill is based on religion.

Hek however did not commit if he is to resign like Shullai from the party if his party which is leading the NDA government at the Centre went ahead to implement the bill.

“I appreciate the opinion of Shullai but I will take a decision after consulting the party. Whether resigning is the solution, but I believe in fighting within the party first,” Hek said.

Hek said that the BJP in Meghalaya and its MLAs opposed the bill along with the MDA government, because “the bill is based on religion.”