New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS): Naga Peoples Front (NPF) MP KG Kenye has supported the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill saying the issue had been taken off the context completely.

"What is at regional level on the ground and what is happening at the national level has taken a completely different turn," Kenye said.

The support from Nagaland MP is significant for the government given many parts of the Northeast have seen violent protests against the bill.

Speaking on the bill in Rajya Sabha, the Nagaland leader urged the political parties to refocus on core issues of the bill.

"It is not about religion. It's not about majority or minority communities. It's about those illegal immigrants who have come into our region and threaten to over-run our population which is only about 4 per cent of this country," the NPF Legislator said.

This is the reason, he said, he had fears and apprehensions.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 provides for giving Indian citizenship to the members of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan after they faced religious persecution in those countries.

Once the bill is passed, they will not be treated as illegal immigrants and will be accorded Indian nationality. Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.