By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, or CAB, remained the burning issue in 2019 that started with the passing of the bill.
On January 8, the Lok Sabha passed the contentious bill despite protests in Meghalaya and other parts of the North East.
The CAB amended a 1955 law to grant citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Christians in Muslim-majority nations of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan if they have lived in India for six years.
Massive agitation over the bill and the Lok Sabha elections in April forced the BJP-led NDA government to temporarily shelve its plan to take CAB to the Rajya Sabha. The bill lapsed and the tide of protests receded for the time being.
However, the BJP made it clear that it would go ahead with the contentious bill. This time, the Centre was open to discussions with groups and the governments of the northeastern states. It also made a few amendments in the bill after rounds of talks with the stakeholders.
As the year came to an end, the bill was successfully passed in both the Houses in the first week of December despite strong opposition from the Congress. This was followed by violent protests in the entire North East, including Shillong and Guwahati.
Protesters took to the streets, burning effigies of the Prime Minister, shouting slogans, pelting stones and setting vehicles on fire.
To contain the situation, the Centre offered few relaxation to Meghalaya as the Act was exempted from the purview of the scheduled areas of the state and Inner Line Permit was granted to Manipur.
However, Meghalaya wanted total exemption from the bill and the NGOs here demanded immediate implementation of Inner Line Permit in the state.
As the situation flared up in the city, the state government enforced curfew in major parts and mobile internet service was suspended.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and a delegation of ministers rushed to New Delhi to meet Home Minister Amit Shah.
The scheduled areas of the state got exemption from the Act.
Meanwhile, the state government passed a resolution in the Assembly to urge the Centre to implement ILP. Law and order was restored after the resolution was passed. Curfew was lifted and internet was restored after 10 days of suspension.
Christmas was celebrated in the best of spirits but the tension still remains. As the year ends with protests over CAA (citizenship act) in the rest of India, people of Meghalaya are waiting for the outcome of another meeting between the state government and the Home Ministry.
