Civil society groups across northeast protest against Citizenship Bill

In Shillong, hundreds of representatives from various organizations conglomerated near the monument of Kiang Nongbah held a sit-in protest carrying placards against Citizenship Bill.

After a break of nearly eight months, protests have resumed in northeast against Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and the Centre’s plan to enact the contentious legislation soon.

The BJP-led government at Centre’s decision to go ahead with the bill will trample on rights of indigenous people, said Robertjune Khar Jahrin general secretary of North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP). (HT Photo/Representative)

On Thursday, several civil society groups across the region held marches and sit-down protests to show opposition to the legislation which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains, Hindus and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who entered the country before December 31, 2014.

The legislation, which was passed by Lok Sabha in January this year, lapsed as the NDA government at Centre could not table it in Rajya Sabha. A bill tabled, which is a property of Lok Sabha, lapses after term of the lower house ends, while that is not the case with Rajya Sabha. Term of 16th Lok Sabha ended in May this year with notification of the 17th Lok Sabha.

There are fears across most states of northeast that once enacted, the bill would lead to influx of religious minorities from neighbouring Bangladesh and might pose a threat to indigenous communities.

“The BJP-led government at Centre’s decision to go ahead with the bill will trample on rights of indigenous people. We have been opposed the legislation earlier and will continue to do so,” said Robertjune Khar Jahrin, general secretary of North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP).

In Manipur’s capital Imphal, many students and women came together under the banner of Manipur People Against CAB (MANPAC) and lined up along the town’s main roads holding posters opposing the legislation.

Similarly hundreds carried out a protest march in Nagaland capital Kohima. Protests against the legislation had rocked northeast in January this year as well.

Implementing the Citizenship Bill has been a poll promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of this year Lok Sabha polls. In September during his first visit to the Assam after assuming charge, home minister Amit Shah had stated the government’s intent on enacting the legislation.