Mahila Cong holds peaceful march
SHILLONG: The Mahila Congress on Thursday held a peaceful march to oppose the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, or CAB.
Some groups also participated in the rally that began from Madan Iewrynghep and culminated at CTO parking lot.
Addressing the protesters, Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh accused the Centre of applying force when the small communities of the North East are putting up a fight against “draconian laws like CAB”.
Slamming the NPP-led MDA government, Lyngdoh said, “Our own government is giving licence to Bangladeshis to take over jobs, identity and culture of our people.”
Making it clear that the Congress will join hands with all the northeastern states to oppose the bill, the former minister added that Meghalaya has always faced the onslaught of Bangladeshi immigration.
Referring to RR Colony, she said that Meghalaya has given the colony to Bangladeshis and now the Centre wants the state to give more space to them.
Lamenting that the people of Meghalaya have been alienated for long, she added that it is time for them to come out of their homes and tell the Union Government that they are imposing anti-people law.
She also said that it is time for everyone to leave their political differences behind and work for the unity of the northeastern states. Other Congress MLAs like Mohendro Rapsang, George Lyngdoh and other party functionaries and workers also attended the rally.
FD Sangma, the general secretary of the Garo Students’ Union Khasi Hills zone, said the Centre is talking about providing citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims from neighbouring countries but the fact is that Muslims and Christians are being persecuted in India right now.