Did bring up bill at cabinet meet, AGP says now

GUWAHATI: BJP's ally in the ruling coalition

Asom Gana Parishad

(AGP) changed its version of what transpired at Friday's cabinet meeting, where it was supposed to bring up the Citizenship (Amendment)

Bill

but later said it did not, yet again.

On Thursday, the party had announced its ministers would move a resolution against the bill at the cabinet meeting on Friday. In less than 24 hours, its ministers went back on the promise and said they had been "convinced" by chief minister Sarbananda

Sonowal

to not bring up the bill at the cabinet meeting. On Saturday, the narrative changed yet again.

"We discussed the bill for at least 30 minutes at the cabinet yesterday (Friday). We even went to the extent of saying that if the bill were passed, we wouldn't be able to stay on as part of the government. But we were asked not to disclose the inside story to the public and as disciplined members of the cabinet, we didn't reveal much," AGP president and agriculture minister Atul

Bora

told reporters at the party headquarters on Saturday. "We are not too confident about the attitude of the Centre, but CM Sonowal was able to convince us," Bora added.

While the state government had said it would reserve its stance on the bill until the publication of the final draft of the updated NRC on June 30, AGP ministers said they will not do so and will continue their protest against the bill. "Sonowal has been a former Aasu (All Assam Students' Union) leader and he knows what is best for the people of the state. We believe that he (Sonowal) will not do anything which will harm the people of the state. However, they want us to wait till the NRC draft is published on June 30, but we will not do so. It doesn't matter to us. We will continue our agitation against the bill," added Bora.