SHILLONG: The North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF) will observe ‘black flag day’ on Friday from 9 am till 3 pm to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Informing this here on Wednesday, convener of NEIPF, Wellbirth Rani, who is also the president of FKJGP, said the venue will be fixed later and has appealed to the public and other social organisations to be part of the black flag day.
With the ruling NPP being an ally of the BJP, he said the Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, who is also the national president of NPP, should be more aggressive to show his opposition to the bill.
Citing the instance of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam, he said, “The government has to be serious. It should show action on the ground and show how much it opposes the Bill.”
Stating that dropping the BJP minister is not enough, he said the state government should convene a special session for members to show their opposition to the bill.
Rani said the ruling party at the Centre, the BJP, should respect the sentiments of the public adding that it has instead disturbed the secular fabric of the country.
He slammed the “hidden agenda” of the BJP in bringing the bill to suit the party’s political interest. “The timing of the bill (ahead of the Lok Sabha) elections shows its hidden agenda,” he said.
On the other hand, he informed that the NEIPF will soon start its Meghalaya Chapter. The chief convener of the NEIPF is Anup Chetia, an ULFA pro-talk leader.
