Newmai News Network Aizawl | May 21 The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the apex student body of Mizoram, on Monday threatened a rerun of the "armed uprising of 1966 if the Centre continues to neglect Mizoram". Addressing a sit-in demonstration to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 here, MZP president L. Ramdinliana Renthlei blamed the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill for not visiting Mizoram during its tour to Northeast and questioned the Centre whether it "considers Mizoram as part of India or not". He said that all Mizoram political parties and social organisations at the time of submission of the memorandum on Citizenship Bill had requested the JPC to visit Mizoram. “We are not happy with the JPC skipping our state while embarking on Northeast tour over the Citizenship Bill,” Renthlei rued. He then said that the Mizo youths would not "hesitate to take up arms if the Centre continues to neglect Mizoram and pass the Citizenship Bill against the interest of the people". Joining a Northeast wide protest called by North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), the apex student body staged sit-in demonstration near Vanapa hall here to register protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. Speaking at the protest site, Renthlei said the student body has strongly opposed the bill as it will has demographic impact on the Mizos. “The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is dangerous for the Mizos and the bill, if passed will immensely affect the Mizos as many illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries enter Mizoram,” he said. He asked all Mizoram law makers to take measures so that the bill is not passed. Renthlei also alleged that the proposed bill seeks to grant citizenship to "illegal migrants" from the minority communities -- Hindu, Christians, Jains and Parsi and Christian from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who entered India and stayed in the country for six years. He said that Mizoram would be adversely affected if the bill is passed by the government and demanded that it is withdrawn immediately. Renthlei also called upon Mizo people to unite in opposing the bill. The sit-in protest was also addressed by many leaders including NESO finance secretary Ricky Lalbiakmawia. Meanwhile, People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) on Monday wrote to Mizoram Law minister Lalsawta, imploring the state government to take swift measures to oppose the proposed bill.
