Citizenship (Amendment) Bill – All India Protest on Feb 4

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the  following statement:

Withdraw Citizenship (Amendment) Bill – All India Protest on February 4, 2019

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its deep anguish over the growing sense of disquiet and agitation of the people across the North East of the country over the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which has been passed by the Lok Sabha and awaits the passage in the Rajya Sabha. 

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill infringes on the basic premise of our Constitution of common citizenship regardless of diversities of caste, creed, gender, ethnicity and culture.  The idea of unity in diversity stands threatened with this proposal which exclusively recognizes religious identity as the basis for citizenship. 

North East is one of those regions of the country which has a very rich diversity across the people and sensitivities based on cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic pluralism.  There is also a sense of insecurity over the sustenance of the distinct identities of the communities residing in the region.  Relative peace had come to prevail in this region in the recent times.  But, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is disrupting stability. 

Wide sections of the people have come out on the streets protesting the legislative proposal in Assam and most of other states of the North East.  It is extremely urgent to appreciate the sense of heightened insecurity and disquiet  of the people and withdraw the proposed Constitutional amendment. 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) urges the government not to proceed further with the legislative proposal and withdraw it altogether. 

The Polit Bureau calls for protest actions by the CPI(M) units all over the country demanding the withdrawal of this proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill  on February 4, 2019. 

The Polit Bureau appeals to all parties, groups and citizens who believe in the unity and diversity of the country and the common basis of our citizenship as enshrined in the Constitution to join this protest.