SHILLONG: As the North East erupted in protests on Tuesday against the citizenship bill, the opposition in the state raised concerns over the impending threat to the indigenous community in the region and asked the NPP-ruled state government to come clear on aligning with BJP.
Both KHNAM and UDP wanted to know about the NPP’s stand with regard to its support to the BJP at the Centre. In a statement issued here, KHNAM legislator Adelbert Nongrum said he would consider support to any government in Meghalaya without the BJP.
Citing the AGP’s exit from the BJP-led alliance in Assam, he said, “KHNAM requests the NPP to also state clearly without ambiguity if it still supports the BJP at the Centre and in the state when the BJP is responsible for such bills.”
Nongrum also asked the government to take steps to resolve the Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute. KHNAM requested the other constituents of the MDA – the UDP, HSPDP and PDF – to “clearly state” if they still supported the BJP.
The UDP and the PDF also voiced their dissent on Tuesday.
UDP General Secretary Jemino Mawthoh too wanted to know about NPP’s stand on breaking ties with the BJP and made clear that the UDP never had any alliance with the national party. “The chief minister said there is an option, which means an option with the BJP. As for severing ties with the BJP, the chief minister and the NPP should take a call on this but as far as UDP is concerned we have no ties with the BJP,” he said.
When asked about the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) of which UDP is a part, Mawthoh said NEDA focuses on the development of the region and the UDP has no political alignment or affiliation with it “except with the NPP”.
“We also oppose the bill tooth and nail. We are concerned about the indigenous population, the minority communities. We don’t know what the rationale is behind the whole thing. Why is the NDA government going ahead without understanding the sentiments and (hearing the) voices of the people of the northeastern region,” he said while speaking on the “unfortunate” decision of Parliament to pass the bill.
“I don’t know what will be the public reaction from now onwards, this is a burning issue, we have been battling the issue of illegal immigrants for decade altogether,” he added.
The president of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Ivanlumlang Marbaniang, vehemently opposed the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, saying it would threaten the minority community if the locals are overwhelmed by outsiders who are large in numbers.
“The state government and the right thinking citizens of the state, community leaders, NGOs and elected representatives should protect the state from illegal infiltration. The state government should take up the matter with the Centre and other authorities to combat the situation,” said working president of UDP, Bindo Lanong while reacting to Tuesday’s developments.
He added that the population of Meghalaya has increased from 29.67 lakh in 2011 to 36.81 lakh in 2018 and said, “From where have these people come, if they are not illegal migrants?”
Referring to a report of the former Governor of Assam SK Sinha who a decade back had estimated that around 80 lakh Bangladeshis are residing in Assam, Lanong also accused Assam of pushing illegal immigrants to Meghalaya by settling them along the inter-state disputed areas.
He also opined that different NGOs, Dorbar and government authorities should take up the matter with the Centre to find a solution to the problem.
KHNAM youth wing
In a separate statement issued here, the president of KHNAM youth wing, Thomas Passah, condemned the BJP government for passing the bill.
He stated that the opposition of the state government “is only to mislead people as opposition without any steps taken is pointless”.
“We will never recognise and allow an outsider to be a resident of the state. If the laws do not protect us, we will find out ways and means protect ourselves,” he said and reiterated the demand to implement inner line permit with clear definition of the cut-off year.
Amendment ‘Islamophobic’: TUR
The Thma U Rangli (TUR) has opposed the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. TUR member Angela Rangad said the amendment is designed around the idea of India as a homeland for just Hindus.
“For the states in the North East of India, where small communities have faced dispossession and cultural challenges because of both internal and external migrations, a law like the Citizenship Amendment Bill is justly feared,” Rangad said.
Stating that this amendment is also Islamophobic that attempts to make Muslim inhabitants of the region suspects in terms of their nationality, she added that it has been a long-term plan of BJP/RSS to appropriate India’s North East into its Hindutva project.
TUR has also appealed to all regional political entities in alliance with the BJP to break ties.
