Citizenship Act: Kiren Rijiju slams those fanning unrest in North East

New Delhi: Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports slammed those fanning violence in the North-Eastern states over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 and assured that the implementation of the Act will cause no harm to the people of the region.

"Some elements are trying to spread violence there and take advantage of the situation in the North-East region. This has never happened in the history of India that laws were passed without consultation of the North-East states. I am very sure that the provisions of the Bill need to be properly communicated with the people of North-East. They are very emotional people, hence we need to make them understand," he said while speaking to media in New Delhi.

"All the areas of Meghalaya and Tripura are protected under this Act," the Union Minister added.

According to the Act, members of the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, and were facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but will be given Indian citizenship.