SHILLONG: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) and North East Forum of Indigenous People (NEFIP) will organise a ‘stay-off-the-road’ protest in the state on Monday and Tuesday while the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and Garo Students’ Union (GSU), affiliated to the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) will hold a sit-in demonstration in protest against the CAB at Additional Secretariat parking lot from 12 noon to 4 pm on Monday to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is scheduled to be tabled in the winter session of the Parliament beginning on Monday.
In a statement, the secretary of CoMSO, Roy Kupar Synrem, said the timing of the protest is from 7 pm on Monday till 6 am on Tuesday. It will resume from 7 pm on Tuesday till 6 am on Wednesday.
The NEFIP has urged the other organisations in the state and the North East to join hands in the protest.
“The protest will be a peaceful one and we appeal to the people to join hands with the organisations in protest against the CAB”, Synrem said.
He informed that the vehicles and ambulances ferrying the sick, Church goers, weddings, fire and emergency vehicles and other important meetings will be exempt from the protest.
He also appealed to people to not take advantage of the situation and to steer clear of resorting to violence and put up a united protest against the CAB.
Sit-in protest today
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and Garo Students’ Union (GSU), organisations that are affiliated to North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) will hold a sit-in demonstration in protest against the CAB at Additional Secretariat parking lot from 12 noon to 4 pm on Monday.
In a statement issued here, the KSU said that the NESO, KSU and GSU will send a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and Home Minister Amit Anilchandra Shah through the Governor Tathagata Roy.
Other organisations that will join hands with the agitating groups are Federation of Khasi Jaintia & Garo People, Hynniewtrep National Youth Front, Ri Bhoi Youth Federation, Arunachal Students’ Union Shillong, Shillong Socio Cultural Assamese Students’ Association, Mizo Students’ Union, Naga Students’ Union, Twipra Students’ Federation, Shillong Karbi Students’ Association and All Bodo Students’ Union, among others.
Protests in all NE states
The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Sunday announced that it will hold protest marches against the proposed CAB across all the states in the region on Monday. All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which is a major constituent of the NESO, and seven other organisations will hold their demonstrations in front of the respective Raj Bhavans in all the states.
“Through each governor, the protesters will submit memorandums to the prime minister and home minister against the bill, which is strictly against the indigenous people of the region,” a NESO release said.
Sanbor to meet Shah
BJP legislator Sanbor Shullai will leave for Delhi to apprise Home Minister and party president Amit Shah to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Shullai said the CAB should be a state subject and the Centre should leave it to the respective states. “Our stand is very clear: the bill should not be made applicable to Meghalaya”, he said.
Earlier, BJP minister AL Hek had also said that the CAB should be a state law.
KHADC resolution against CAB
The executive committee (EC) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will table a resolution against the CAB during the four-day winter session beginning Tuesday.
KHADC Chairman PN Syiem informed that in addition to the resolution against CAB, issues relating to the Land Bill will also come up for discussion.
In a recent meeting of the EC, KHADC CEM Teinwell Dkhar had demanded that areas within the jurisdiction of the council should be exempted from the CAB. He had also announced that the EC will table a resolution against the CAB during the winter session.
