Newmai News Network
Shillong | January 12
The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has called upon all political parties to stand united against the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. “We urged upon different political parties who are against this Bill to stand up and counter in the Rajya Sabha so that this draconian bill cannot be passed,” NESO chairman, Samuel B Jyrwa told reporters in Shillong on Saturday.
He also informed that though the Bill could not be passed due to strong opposition by the Rajya Sabha MPs, NESO has been made aware that another session of the parliament will again start from January 31 to February 12 where the Centre might re-introduce the Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
“We cannot allow the ruling government to bulldoze by passing this Bill which is a threat and a danger to the identity of the indigenous people of the different states in the North Eastern region,” Jyrwa said.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to people from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, was passed in the Lok Sabha few days ago amid widespread protests in the North East region.
“If worse comes to worst and this Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha then we can very well know the intention of all the mainland political parties towards the plight of the indigenous people of the NE region,” Jyrwa said.
He also said that the North East Students’ Organisation will sit in the days to come to chalk out its future course of actions with regards to the Citizenship Amendment Bill.
Appreciating the firm stand taken by the governments of Meghalaya and Mizoram on the issue, Jyrwa however said that even though the two state governments had shown their opposition to the Bill, the Centre did not pay any heed to this opposition.
Opining that the Centre should have taken the fact that the state governments in the North East are not in favour of this Bill into consideration, Jyrwa said, “This shows the attitude of the Central government towards the sentiments of the indigenous people of NE region.”
