"Deeply Disappointed With Citizenship Bill": Bhaichung Bhutia

Former Indian football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Tuesday expressed disappointment that Sikkim was not excluded from the ambit of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, unlike several other states in the north-east.

Mr Bhutia, working president of Hamro Sikkim Party, said the legislation will dilute special provisions of the Himalayan state that it enjoys under Article 371F of the Constitution.

He asked the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha-led government to press for implementing Inner Line Permit in the state and quit the NDA in protest against the passage of the bill.

The legislation that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to religious minorities of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who are fleeing persecution there, was passed in the Lok Sabha with 311-80 votes.

"We are deeply disappointed with the CAB. The Bill has not excluded Sikkim compared to other north-east states like Nagaland, Meghalaya and a few others. We wanted Sikkim also be mentioned in writing on the bill like other north-east states," Mr Bhutia said in a Facebook post.

He said though Home Minister Amit Shah mentioned in the house that the legislation will not have any effect on states enjoying special status Under Article 371, the legal provision is different from Article 371F.

"This bill is surely a way of diluting Article 371F in long run," the former Indian football team captain said. Mr Bhutia said apparent efforts by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and the state's only Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba failed in keeping Sikkim out of the CAB's ambit.