BJP central leadership asked us to not utter a single word on CAA: Nagaland Dy CM

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton on Saturday claimed that BJP leaders from the state had been asked to "not utter a single word" on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act.

Patton was replying to Opposition leader T R Zeliang's query in the assembly as to why BJP legislators from the state remained silent during a consultative meeting convened by Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the CAA in Delhi.

"Why we did not utter a single word is because our central leaders told us not to participate," Patton, the leader of BJP Legislature Party, said in reply.

Nagaland Assembly witnessed noisy scenes on Saturday, as opposition NPF protested against the new citizenship law, and insisted that an anti-CAA resolution be passed in the House, taking a cue from states such as Kerala and Bengal.

Rejecting the demand of the Naga People's Front (NPF), Patton iterated that the law would not affect the Nagas, as states with Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime have been exempted from its purview.

Zeliang, along with NPF MLAs Chotisuh Sazo and Chumben Murry, during a discussion on matters of public importance, however, reasoned that the ILP would not impede influx of illegal immigrants.

Patton said the Union home minister, in December, had given assurances that the CAA would not have any impact on the people of the state.