‘Implementation of ILP need of the hour’
SHILLONG: After the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in both Houses of Parliament on Monday and Wednesday respectively, the Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep on Friday expressed deep anguish and concern over the passage of the bill.
The Synjuk in a statement issued has expressed resentment over President Ram Nath Kovind giving his assent to the CAB.
It also expressed dismay at the support extended by MP Agatha Sangma to the bill in the Lok Sabha.
“Her support was contrary to the resolution submitted to the Union Home Minister signed by the stakeholders of Meghalaya in which the MDA Government was also a party,” the Synjuk said in the statement.
“We feel betrayed by the unwarranted act of the MP for reasons best known to her. It also appeared to the public that the act of the MP was orchestrated and it was all done in connivance with the state government therefore it is pertinent for both the state government and the MP to come clear on this and explain as to why they had taken such a stand different from the resolution sent to Home Minister Amit Shah,” it said.
The Synjuk general secretary, RL Blah said that though the Act which is being vehemently opposed by all ethnic minority groups of North East, appears to be humanitarian in nature, it is a law brought by the government to grant citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh without considering adverse impact on the indigenous communities of the Northeast.
The tribal areas of Meghalaya had experienced turbulent times since the inception of the Sixth Schedule to the constitution of India while the people were still under the State of Assam and after attaining statehood; severe clashes took place as a resistance to the ethnic invasion experienced by the indigenous minority communities of the state, it added.
The Synjuk pointed out that the 6th Schedule in its present form is toothless and cannot prevent influx and provide the desired protection to the indigenous tribes of the State.
“We are well aware as to how the indigenous communities of the other states of the North East were reduced to a minority due to unabated influx and Tripura is a glaring example,” the statement said.
The Synjuk which is a conglomeration of the traditional village heads of the entire Hynniewtrep community of Meghalaya feels that the urgent need of the hour is for the Government of India to walk the talk and there is a need to exempt the entire region from the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
“It is also important to not only exempt the 6th Scheduled areas from CAA but also implement the ILP to protect the indigenous people of Meghalaya,” the Synjuk said. In view of the law and order situation in the city, the Synjuk appealed to all protesters to restrain from the path of violence as responsible and peace loving citizens.