DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 17 (MExN): The North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP) has expressed concern that the Citizenship Amendment Bill is about to be introduced in the Winter Session of the Parliament 2019 “undermining the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Indigenes of the region.”
A press release from the NEFIP stated that the federating State organizations of NEFIP since the introduction and passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 on January 8 “have been incessantly opposing the said Bill which challenges the very existence of the Indigenous People of the North Eastern Region.”
It mentioned that on August 9, a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister had been submitted through the Head of the States followed by another submission of the same to the Chief Ministers of the region on October 3, 2019, appraising therein the possible “devastative effects it may cause, if enacted, to the entire North East Region.”
“To recognize such illegal immigrants as ‘Natural Persons’ who can acquire Indian Citizenship on the basis religious Identity runs antithetical to the Constitution,” the NEFIP claimed.
As such, the forum resolved to resume mass agitation against the CAB and the “authoritative attitude of the GoI from the 18th November 2019 onwards.”
As part of the agitation, the NEFIP informed federating state organizations to own the initiative according to the local situation and ground realities.
It further resolved to bring an understanding among different likeminded social organizations to oppose the Bill collectively. The forum meanwhile requested all the MPs and the Members of the respective State Legislative Assemblies of the NE Region to oppose the said Bill.
