SHILLONG: With the BJP rallying for the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Confederation of Hynniewtrep Social Organization (CoHSO) has forewarned that the action of the BJP will rekindle militancy in the Northeastern states.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, chairman of CoHSO, Robertjune Kharjahrin said, “The militant regime will raise its head again if the BJP bulldozes its way for the Bill, the product is the rising of militant regime.”
He added it was the BJP, not the secessionist groups, that would ruin the North Eastern states.
He said the CAB will nullify all the agreements signed with India and also violated the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
With the CAB, he said the BJP has disregarded the agreements though he is not surprised as some BJP MLAs wanted to change the Preamble of India by removing the word “secular”.
“How will the relationship of the North Eastern states with India be defined if all the agreements is nullified with the coming of the Bill?” he said.
Commenting on the “humanitarian ground” of the BJP to bring the non-Muslim people from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh to India, Kharjahrin suggested India should instead impose economic sanctions on Bangladesh on grounds of religious persecution.
“Bangladesh gets foreign aid from India and if Bangladesh is persecuting people on religious ground, it can impose economic sanctions on Bangladesh. Both countries can also approach the United Nations if there is religious persecution,” he said.
He added India can also influence other countries to impose economic sanctions rather than to come up with the Bill.
“This (Bill) is meant for uprooting indigenous groups from the country,” he said.
Kharjahrin has urged Rajya Sabha MPs not to give their approval to the Bill. He has reiterated the demand to the state government to pass an Assembly resolution rather than the Cabinet resolution.
CoHSO intensifies agitation; calls for unity
The CoHSO has intensified agitation starting with public meeting at Jowai (January 18), Khliehriat and Umsning (January 21) and Mawkyrwat and Nongstoin (January 23) and distribution of leaflets to the public and video on CAB will be release.
He added at the public meeting, there will be marks of protest such as burning of effigies.
He added that CoHSO will hold a hunger strike from January 24, 25 and 26.
Kharjahrin has urged the different organisations –the FKJGP, KSU, Dorbar shnong, dorbar kur, state government employees etc., in the state to unite against the CAB.
Asked on the suo moto case registered against them by the Meghalaya police, he said, “Let the police do their job and we will go ahead with protecting our indigenous community.”