SHILLONG: With the BJP rallying for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the Confederation of Hynniewtrep Social Organisation (CoHSO) has warned that the action of the BJP will bring back the militant regime 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.”
He added that it is the BJP and not the secessionist groups that will ruin the northeastern states.
While asserting that the BJP has disregarded all the agreements signed between the Indian state and the North East and violated the Sixth Schedule, Kharjahrin said, “It is not a surprise as some BJP MLAs wanted to change the Preamble of India by removing the word ‘secular’. How will the relationship of the northeastern states with India be defined if all the agreements are nullified with the coming of the bill?”
Commenting on the “humanitarian ground” as claimed by the BJP to give citizenship to non-Muslim people from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Kharjahrin suggested that India should
instead impose economic sanctions on Bangladesh on grounds of religious persecution and influence other countries to do the same.
“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.
Kharjahrin has urged Rajya Sabha MPs to not give their approval to the bill. He has reiterated the demand to the state government to pass an Assembly resolution rather than a Cabinet resolution.
The CoHSO will hold public meetings in Jowai (January 18), Khliehriat and Umsning (January 21) and Mawkyrwat and Nongstoin (January 23) and distribution of leaflets and video on CAB will also be released.
Kharjahrin said the CoHSO will hold a three-day hunger strike from January 24 and urged different organizations, Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Kur and state government employees to unite against the CAB.
When asked about the suo motu case registered against them by the Meghalaya police, the CoHSO leader said, “Let the police do their job and we will go ahead with protecting our indigenous community.”
