GUWAHATI: Leader of the opposition and Congress legislator, Debabrata Saikia criticized BJP MP from Rajasthan and also the party’s chief whip in the Rajya Sabha, Narayan Lal Panchariya for tabling a Private Member’s Bill --- the Illegal Immigrants (Identification and Deportation) Bill, 2018 in the recently concluded session of the Upper House.Saikia termed tabling of the bill as a ploy to enact the “controversial” Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in another guise.He said Panchariya has moved the Illegal Immigrants (Identification and Deportation) Bill after “fierce” opposition in Assam against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.Saikia said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has been roundly decried as an attempt to protect a section of illegal migrants on the basis of their religion.“Panchariya is now trying to sugar-coat the BJP’s divisive agenda with provisions like creation of National and State Commissions to control the process of identifying and deporting illegal migrants and confiscation of their property,” Saikia said.Saikia said Section 10 of the Bill tabled by Panchariya states that ‘The central government may, if it considers so in national interest, exempt any illegal immigrants or any class of illegal immigrants from deportation or any other provisions of this Act.”The attempt to vest the central government with the discretionary power in matters of citizenship, especially at a time when Assam stands ravaged by the problem of illegal migrants, is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution, Saikia argued.