An MLA of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam was served a notice to prove his citizenship. The notice was issued by the Foreigners Tribunal (FT) to the MLA from Barak Valley, Kishore Nath, his wife Nilima Nath , four brothers – Matilal Nath, Pradip Nath, Jagdish Nath, Manik Nath and Sister in law Rakhi Nath suspecting them of being ‘doubtful citizens’. The notice asks all of them to appear before an FT judge to prove their citizenship.
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Kishore Nath said that he and his family are citizens of India and if needed he will move to the court with the necessary documents to prove it. He said “I am a son of the soil, a native of Barak valley and I am an Indian.” He said he shouldn’t have received the notice as he and his family has been living there for three generations. He felt some mischief was done during a verification process during 2008 – 2012,when Congress ruled the state.
State Congress president Ripun Borah took a jibe a Kishore nath and said that “This means that one MLA of BJP is not an Indian Citizenship. BJP should apologise to the nation”.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 that amended the Citizenship Act of 1955 had caused quite a stir in Assam. It allows illegal migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, parsi or Christian religious communities coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan not to be imprisoned or deported. They were made eligible for citizenship after six years of residence.
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