BJP, CPM hail ‘historic’ ruling

The BJP and the CPM on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act that grants Indian citizenship to Bangladesh immigrants, who entered Assam before March 25, 1971.

“Today the SC has delivered a very historic verdict on the constitutional validity of Section 6(A) of the Citizenship Act. This provision was added to the Indian Citizenship Act in the wake of the Assam Accord... The core of this provision is that those who entered Assam till 1966, will be treated as citizens of India and those who came between 1966 and 1971 shall be subject to compliance with the rules required. All those who have come after 1971, will surely be treated as illegal immigrants. This provision was brought when Rajiv Gandhi was the PM...,” BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The Assam State Committee of the CPM said, “The order today by the five-judge Bench of the SC is well considered and conforms to the reality of Assam.”