CAB Protests | PM Modi Reaches Out To Assam: 'No One Can Take Away Your Rights'

As massive anti-Citizenship Amendment Bill protests rock Northeast with Guwahati being the worst-hit city, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Assam via social media. “I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I want to assure them- no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow,” the Prime Minister said on Twitter. “The Central Government and I are totally committed to constitutionally safeguard the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people as per the spirit of Clause 6,” he said in another tweet. The tweets come a day after the authorities suspended the internet in 10 districts of Assam. The Assam government announced on Wednesday that internet services will be suspended in 10 districts of Assam for 24 hours, beginning 7 pm.

I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB.

I want to assure them- no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2019

Parliament approved the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 on Wednesday with Rajya Sabha passing the contentious bill. As many as 125 MPs voted in favour of the Bill in the Upper House and 99 against it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said. The bill gives Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday.

In Rajya Sabha, BJP's former ally Shiv Sena made a quiet exit from the House just before the voting. Earlier Shah had taken a dig at Sena asking what made it change its stand overnight after supporting the bill in Lok Sabha. Besides NDA constituents such as the JD-U, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AIADMK, the legislation was supported by the BJD, TDP, YSR-Congress and independents.

Apart from the three Shiv Sena MPs who were not present during voting, two members each of Samajwadi Party and NCP as also one of TMC were absent.

Earlier, Rajya Sabha rejected a motion to send the bill to a select committee of the House with 124 members voting against it as compared to 99 in its favour. The House also rejected several amendments moved by opposition members to the bill, mostly by voice vote. The Bill will now go to the President for his assent.