'Anti-national' feeling in NE fueled by dangers of CAB: Conrad K Sangma

Guwahati, February 14, 2019:

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has been in the limelight ever since he bravely threatened to break his party NPP’s alliance with the BJP if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was passed. He was one of the first leaders in a BJP alliance who openly opposed the Bill.

Sangma also said that due to the sentiments of the Northeast were so strong that ‘anti-national’ feelings started out due to the danger posed by the Bill. “This kind of Bill will fuel anti-national sentiments among the people, but thankfully, we were able to defeat the Bill”, he said.

The tumult and protests that ensued after Sangma’s announcement took the form of a ‘people’s movement’ in the Northeast that was eventually successful in overthrowing the highly unpopular Bill.

Now Sangma, at the end of the long and arduous struggle has found himself a champion of the adoring masses. Speaking exclusively to InsideNE, he stated that the journey was “challenging” and added that the triumph is an “emotional” one for people of the Northeast. Sangma stated that the unity among political parties from all over the country like the Shiv Sena, JD (U) et al enabled the overthrowing of the Bill. “The people of the Northeast came out as one voice,” he said, and added that “when the voice of the Northeast is united, we can face any challenge ahead of us.”

Sangma said that despite being a part of the NDA alliance from a “governance point of view”, the “identity” of the (NPP) party won’t go away and the “ideology” of the party would be maintained at any cost. Sangma has also promised to bring out the agendas and challenges of the Northeast to the front of the people.

Regarding the party’s stance on an alliance with the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Sangma said a stand would be taken at the appropriate time.