NONGPOH: The president of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Celestine Lyngdoh, lambasted the NDA government for playing with the lives of the Northeastern people by asserting that there is nothing to worry about despite the present situation in Assam which has claimed five lives while protesting against the amended Citizenship Act (CAA).
The Northeastern states have witnessed one of the worst kinds of protest in recent history as the NDA government, by brute force, plans to implement the CAA, which the Congress leaders term as an ‘unconstitutional and divisive act’ despite strong opposition and protest from the people of North East and other parts of the country.
The other Congress legislators, while speaking at the rally, alleged that the statement of the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, at one of his election rallies in Jharkhand is an insult to the people of the state.
“How can the home minister say that ‘there is no issue’ and ‘to meet him after Christmas’, when the people of the state are in a state of fear and lawlessness because of the CAA?” the leaders questioned.
The MPCC has vowed to fight for the ‘unconstitutional act’ to be repealed as well as for immediate implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.
The Congress legislators have also urged the Governor to give his assent to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) 2019 at the earliest in order to protect the indigenous tribal and genuine citizens of the state.
They also demanded for amendment in Paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule as the state cannot be divided in two areas, namely, tribal and non-tribal areas, while stating that the whole state of Meghalaya should be declared as tribal areas under the purview of the Sixth Schedule.
On the other hand, the legislators urged the people of Ri Bhoi and the state at large to extend their full support in this movement for the betterment of the people.
Later in the evening, the Congress leaders also joined a signature campaign initiated by the youths of Nongpoh area by putting their signatures and at the same time lauded the youths for taking this initiative.
