Guwahati, Sept 05: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Purno A Sangma today ruled out rejoining the Congress till its leader was of Indian origin. "We (NCP) will not join the Congress as its chief is not of Indian origin," Sangma told reporters here hinting at Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins.
"But we have no problem about joining that party if they have an Indian leader," the former Lok Sabha Speaker added.
Referring to the illegal migration issue in Assam, he said the NCP was for scrapping of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act which should be replaced by a law, which would instill confidence and sense of safety in the minds of the people. Pointing out the IMDT created "misunderstanding and divisions" between communities, Sangma said the emphasis was more on preventing future infiltration than on detection and deportation of aliens.
Taking March 25, 1971 as the cut off year as nominated in the Assam Accord, the NCP leader insisted that citizenship identity cards be issued immediately to all who came earlier than that date based on the electoral rolls, their birth and school certificates, land deeds and other identifying legal documents.
The NCP leader was here to attend a function where former minister Lilamoy Das, ex-MLA Barkatulla, two retired bureaucrats, besides thousands from Chaygaon, Boko and Hajo constituencies joined the party. Bureau Report