Consultation on CAB tomorrow
SHILLONG: The Khasi Students Union on Thursday said that the Centre should give special protection to the indigenous communities across the North East if it is really concerned about them.
The KSU’s statement comes ahead of its scheduled meeting with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, on November 30 to discuss about the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
The home ministry has invited leaders of socio-cultural bodies, student organisations and political parties from the Northeastern states for discussions over the next two days on the plans to amend the Citizenship Act, officials said in Delhi on Thursday.
KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah and James Hitler Mawphniang (executive member KSU CEC) will be leaving for Delhi on Friday to attend the meeting. They will be joined by Lambok Marngar (President, KSU), Samuel B Jyrwa (Chairman, NESO) and other NESO members who are already camping in New Delhi since last week.
The leaders of Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) have also been invited to attend the meeting.
Marngar, who returned from New Delhi, after seeking support from members of regional and political parties, said, “We have been to Delhi to seek the support of both regional and political parties since they had extended their support in opposing the bill last time.”
Stating that there is no clear picture on the intention and idea of the central government to reintroduce CAB he said, “The message of the KSU and NESO is very clear: if the central government is really committed to protect the indigenous community, they should give special protection for the indigenous communities across the North East”.
When asked whether the KSU will push for exemption for Meghalaya from the CAB, Marngar said that the union would go and attend the meeting to express their opposition to the bill.
The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, in order to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who come to India after facing religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan even if they don’t possess proper documents.
The home ministry has convened the meetings in the wake of strong protests registered by many organisations against the bill in the North East.
Congress, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a few other political parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill, claiming that citizenship can’t be given on the basis of religion.
The Centre has listed the bill in its items of business for the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament and is set to push for its passage.
The BJP and its Hindutva affiliates have insisted that minorities from the three countries, which include a significant number of Hindus, should be granted Indian citizenship.
The Centre had on Monday reviewed the security situation in the Northeastern states following protests against the bill over the past few weeks. (With PTI inputs)