SHILLONG: Opposition Congress on Wednesday ripped apart the Centre and the NPP-led MDA government for taking a U-turn over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Opposition leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma termed the U-turn of the NPP from opposing the bill to supporting it, as the biggest betrayal to the people of the state and politics of backstabbing.
He said the NPP cheated its own people and that there cannot be a bigger betrayal than this.
Stating that as an MP, Agatha has only conveyed the stand of the party which was decided by its national president Conrad Sangma, the former chief minister said people are asking the right question as to why the effigy of chief minister is not being burnt along with Agatha.
Pointing towards the Centre giving out ILP to Manipur and exempting Sixth Schedule areas from the purview of the bill, Mukul said that Sixth Schedule ) and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) are not enough to protect the indigenous communities as ILP provides only restricted entry and movement whereas Sixth Schedule is not enough and therefore the North East needs many more legislations.
He said many Northeastern states already have ILP, but there is an increase in the number of non-tribal population.
Mawlai Block Congress demands ILP
However, taking a different view, the Mawlai Block Congress Committee met and decided to demand ILP in the state.
When asked about the reason, the Congress legislator from Mawlai, PT Sawkmie said that people come first than the party.
“We cannot go against the sentiments of the people”, he added.
Earlier, Sangma said the whole manner in which the bill is pushed is designed to divide and rule the people of the North East and the mandate of CAB will create vested interests in the neighboring countries to engage into suppression and oppression of the minorities.
Former Assembly Speaker and Congress legislator Charles Pyngrope said the people should be aware of the partial treatment meted out to the tribals of the North East by the BJP.
“The BJP has betrayed the people of the North East”, Pyngrope added.
Reiterating their stand to oppose the bill, Sangma added that the party will be discussing with the Congress leadership and will also hold protests all over the state from Thursday against the forceful implementation of the CAB.
