Newmai News Network
Imphal | February 5
The conglomerate of 72 civil society organisations called Manipur PEOPLE against CAB (MANPAC) on Tuesday announced an indefinite mass protest on the roads with effect from February 6 (Wednesday) as the MANPAC decided to intensify the campaign against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
While urging the people to carry out the protest in the streets in their respective areas, MANPAC appealed to display banners and placards with slogans- No CAB in Manipur, No CAB in Northeast, No foreigners in Manipur and Withdraw CAB unconditionally – during the proposed protests.
While announcing the intensified form of protest to be commenced from Wednesday, MANPAC alleged that, despite the unabated protest against CAB across the Northeast, the Central government continued its lobby to get the contentious Bill passed by the Upper House of the Parliament.
Talking to reporters at a news conference held at JCILPS office in Imphal today, co- convenor of MANPAC, Amu Kamei alleged that the Centre is not paying heed to the popular demand of the Northeast people. He further alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has been lobbying to pass the Bill by the Rajya Sabha. "Not only Prime Minister Narendra Modi but President Ram Nath Kovind has assured passing the Bill by the Rajya Sabha," he added.
"Besides, without any respect to the popular demand of the people, students, civil society organisations and political parties across the Northeast region, BJP general secretary (Northeast in-charge) Ram Madhav has reiterated his party’s (BJP) firm commitment to get pass the Bill by the Rajya Sabha in Guwahati," Amu Kamei also said. “It shows that the Central government has no regard on the feelings, wishes and rights of the Northeast people,” Kamei added.
He then stated that the Modi government is working hard to get the Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha without bothering the hue and cry of the people of the region.
At this stage, MANPAC considered that there would be no other option but a united and firm stand of the people of the region in the struggle against the contentious Bill.
“Now the time has come for today’s generation to sacrifice for the next generation to save the indigenous people,” Kamei said. Keeping this in mind, MANPAC decided to stage the mass protest on the roads including on the national highways across Manipur, Kamei further said. He then added that the protest will be continued as long as the contentious Bill is not withdrawn from the Parliament.
While appealing all sections of people from all communities, both hills and the valleys, to take part in the protest, he urged people to leave their daily chores and stay in the streets. Kamei then declared that MANPAC is against Manipur government’s demand for INSERT IGNOREing a clause exempting Manipur from the purview of the CAB, and said that the Bill must be completely withdrawn. He demanded that all legislators of the state Assembly, irrespective of the ruling and the opposition, must tender their resignations if the Bill is passed by the Rajya Sabha. "Otherwise, they have to bear the brunt of the people", he warned.
Another co-convenor of MANPAC, Phundreimayuym Abdullah termed the Bill as an attempt to carry out "genocide" against the indigenous people of Northeast where illegal migrants had already started affecting their daily life.
“It is the need of the hour to save the indigenous people to avoid the faith befallen on the indigenes in Tripura,” he said.
He also questioned whether the people of the Northeast are not the sons and daughters of "Bharat Mata", while reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement calling the "illegal migrants" as the sons and daughters of "Bharat Mata".
“The Government of India really treats the Northeasterners as a colonised people and as second class citizens," he alleged.
