NSF says will not allow CAB to bring ‘negative impact upon Nagas’
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 18 (MExN): The Naga Students Federation (NSF) today apprised the Nagaland Governor, RN Ravi of the federation's stand to ensure that the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) does not bring “any negative impact upon the Nagas.”
The NSF stated this in a letter to the Governor, while submitting a memorandum from the North East Students Organisation (NESO), to be forwarded to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.
The NESO comprises of the All Arunachal Pradesh Student’s Union, All Assam Students’ Union, All Manipur Students’ Union, Naga Students’ Federation, Khasi Students’ Union, Garo Students’ Union, Mizo Zirlai Paul and the Tripura Students’ Federation.
The NESO memorandum expressed opposition to reports that the Union Government plans to table the bill in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. It rather demanded that an Inner Line Permit (ILP) system be introduced for the entire region and that National Register of Citizens (NRC) with a base year for each state be implemented. The NESO also demanded that Constitutional safeguard be granted to the people of NE States, including delegation of “vast federal authority including the rights over land and its natural resources.”
The NESO reminded of the tension and public agitation in the whole of North East during the months of January and February, 2019 when the Union Government was trying to get the Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha. It was however not tabled “taking into account the sentiments of the indigenous peoples of the North East,” the NESO stated.
The NESO further expressed regret that the North East Region remains a distant place for the Union Government.
“The Union Government does not understand our problems and our aspirations. Our social structure, our history and our cultural values are unknown to the rest of the country. The intended Bill is the latest example that the lawmakers of the country have no regard for the future of the indigenous peoples of the North East Region,” it said.
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