New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS): Fifteen times National Award winner Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma on Sunday announced that he would return the Padma Shri -- the fourth highest civilian award in India -- to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

"The Bill is against the interest of the people of North-East and the indigenous people of Manipur. Several people here have opposed the Bill, but it seems they (the Central government) are determined to pass it," Sharma told IANS.

"Padma Shri is an honour. It is one of the highest forms of recognitions in India. So, I thought the best way to protest was by returning it," he said.

The Bill that has led to a series of protests in different north-eastern states was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.