By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 11: The notification by the Centre to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) has ruffled the feathers of the North East Students’ Union (NESO) so much that the organisation has decided to burn copies of it on Tuesday as a mark of protest.
The NESO took the decision soon after the Centre notified the rules to implement the controversial Act.
“We are against CAA. As a sign of protest against it, we will burn copies of the CAA rules,” NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa told The Shillong Times.
The CAA will ensure citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India till December 31, 2014.
Jyrwa said the Government of India was expected to take some actions keeping in mind the problems being faced by the people of the Northeast and respecting their sentiments but it instead came up with the CAA rules.
“We stand opposed to this attitude of the central government towards the indigenous people of the Northeast,” he added.
KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said, “We are part and parcel of NESO. The entire region is with us and we will not allow CAA to be implemented in our state. We will organise certain protests in the days to come and we will participate actively.”
Thabah also said that the whole of Northeast will resist CAA.
“We don’t want to emphasise on the refuges from Pakistan and Afghanistan because they will not impact us. But those from Bangladesh will impact us hugely,” the KSU general secretary said.
He expressed concern that the Centre’s decision will make the Khasis, who have a miniscule population of 15 lakh, minorities in their own land.
Stating that the KSU had demanded to make 1951 the cut-off year to determine the genuine Indian citizens in Meghalaya, he said in due course, 1971 was made the cut-off year for the same following discussions with the traditional heads during the tenure of Paul Lyngdoh.
Thabah said although it was stated that Meghalaya is covered under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution but there are certain areas falling under the Sixth Schedule which are not protected. He said the non-tribals have outnumbered the tribals in Sixth Schedule areas such as Pynthorumkhrah, Laban and Nongmensong.
The logic that the Sixth Schedule will protect the indigenous people is very wrong. Various laws, including ILP, should be strengthened, he insisted.
Ronnie demands exemption for entire state
Opposition leader Ronnie V Lyngdoh said entire Meghalaya should be exempted from CAA’s purview considering its small indigenous tribal population.
“If we allow this, the whole objective of having Sixth Schedule and customary land laws will have no meaning,” he observed.
Lyngdoh also said that almost the entire state comes under the purview of the Land Transfer Act and when land here cannot be transferred to non-tribals, where the migrants will reside if they come to the state.
He categorically stated that the Land Transfer Act, trading license and issuance of labour permits should be implemented in letter and spirit.