The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has not been consigned to oblivion and will be brought again, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday, but sought to soothe the concerns of the northeastern states, insisting special laws specific to the region will not be touched. Shah also asserted that the Centre intends to expel all illegal immigrants not just from Assam but the entire country. Visiting the Assam capital for the first time since the vexed final National Register of Citizens (NRC), which validates Indian citizenship of the residents of Assam, was published on August 31, the BJP chief also sought to quell apprehensions about scrapping of Article 371 of the Indian Constitution. Article 371 applies to several states in the northeast and grants them special powers with regard to religious and social practices, and observance of law and order.

"We will ensure that existing laws of all states of the region remain as they are even after the introduction of the CAB. We have no intention to touch any of these laws applicable to different states of the region", Shah told a meeting of BJP's allies who are part of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA). He was addressing the fourth conclave of the NEDA, which is the northeastern version of the Centre's ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Shah was responding to concerns voiced by chief ministers Conrad Sangma of Meghalaya, Neiphu Rio of Nagaland and Mizoram's Zoramthanga. Addressing the conclave, they had voiced fears about the consequences of reintroducing the CAB, as it could alter the demography of their respective states. They wanted that their states be kept out of the purview of the CAB.