Manipur-based film-maker and music composer Aribam Shyam Sharma has decided to return his 2006 Padma Shri award in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The 82-year-old made the announcement in Imphal. The filmmaker has made 14 feature and 31 non-feature films.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is gaining momentum yet again as the Assam Government has refused the proposed rally of organisations from West Bengal in support of the Bill.
The bill, which seeks to give citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, has been passed by the Lok Sabha.
The bill will be sent for approval in the Rajya Sabha in the next session, where it is expected to face resistance from the opposition Congress party. The BJP does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha.
While people have hit the streets to protest against facilitating the entry of outsiders, social groups allege discrimination against immigrants on religious grounds.
