SHILLONG: The People’s Democratic Front (PDF) on Thursday said it would oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and not compromise on the identity and security of the people.
He also said the party would meet on Friday to discuss the way forward after the Union cabinet gave the nod to the contentious bill which is now likely to be tabled in Parliament next week.
Urban Affairs Minister and PDF MLA, Hamlet Dohling, said that the party had made it very clear that they are against the bill but the Centre, despite the stiff opposition from the Northeastern states, has decided to go ahead with it. “Our stand is clear and we will not compromise on the identity and security of our people. We are going to oppose CAB,” Dohling said. He also said that apart from the party, the state government would also hold discussions shortly on the development.
“The idea of exempting scheduled areas will not work with us. We want entire Meghalaya exempted from the purview of this bill,” Dohling said.
He also said that the party still has hopes that the central government will feel for the Northeastern states and would consider their request. “It is a fight not only of the government… all, including NGOs and people of the state, are on the same page,” Dohling said while adding that the Union government must respect the sentiments of the Northeastern people and their opposition to the CAB.
The NESO and KSU have started conducting street meetings in different parts of the state to sensitise the people about the ill-effects of the CAB.
NE could be partitioned, fears Adelbert
North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum on Thursday expressed fears that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) could lead to a “partition” of the North East while asserting that the proposed legislation is an instrument to marginalise and phase out the ethnic communities.
In a statement issued here, the KHNAM MLA said that the bill to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 has been used as a medium to further the ideology of religious identity.
He said that the North East should stand as a united force and come up with a uniform law to protect “our own microscopic population by implementing the ILP (Inner Line Permit)”.
He said that the framers/ architects of the Constitution had laid emphasis on local requirements such as to upkeep and uplift the traditional peculiarity of the region.
“Now if the CAB is legislated, then the entire process, ideology and aspirations that have been handed down would be in serious harm as the rights and privileges would be abolished due to the advancement on religious lines”, Nongrum said.
He observed that the CAB will spur communalism.
“If persecution takes place on religious lines, it is the international community that needs to be evoked. The North East is a conglomerate of different ethnic tribes adding up to a single clan as Indians. Due to the non-secular and adamant approach by the Government of India, the worst-hit region would be the North East and it may be foreseen that the CAB will serve no specific purpose but for a possible partition of the region”, he said.
