SHILLONG: The pressure groups and political parties are jubilant over the lapse of CAB in Rajya Sabha.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has thanked the party and opposition MPs, who stood strongly against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was proposed to be introduced and passed in the Rajya Sabha by the BJP government on February 13 ignoring all protests and strong opposition by political parties, NGOs and people of the North East.
The MPCC termed the BJP government’s failure to table the bill in the House as victory of the people of Meghalaya and the North East as a whole adding without their support it would not have been possible.
The MPCC thanked the party leadership, functionaries and civil society groups for defeating the designs of the BJP government to force the bill in the Rajya Sabha, a statement issued on Thursday said.
The party hoped that in future the people as well as the NGOs would come forward in strength to defeat any ulterior motives or intent to bring such kind of anti-people bill that would affect the interest of the indigenous people in the North East in general and Meghalaya in particular.
Meanwhile, the United Hynniewtrep Movement (UHM) central body and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) expressed gratitude to North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) for making efforts to ensure the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill did not become law.
In a statement issued here, the UHM also thanked the Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, who took up the issue seriously. The UHM has appealed to all organisations to stay united and not allow any legislation which will adversely affect the state.
Later, the members of North East Students’ Organization (NESO) and Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) were felicitated after they reached Shillong at KSU’s office in Jaiaw. The leaders were welcomed as KSU and NESO members lauded their efforts to seek support to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Chairman of NESO, Samuel Jyrwa said there are many other issues confronting the indigenous communities.
He pointed to the pending notifications and orders as seen in developments in the Foreigners’ Act, 1946 allowing entry of Bangladeshis, long term visa and passport entry and demanded from the Center to cancel the notification and order.
He extended gratitude to other organisations, political parties who have opposed the Bill.
President of Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Lambokstarwell Margnar said it is not the end of the fight but only the beginning as he pointed to the Langpih incident where some people were injured after Assam police lathi-charged them.
