Rio reiterates, ‘Nagaland protected under provisions of Article 371A’
Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 12
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today said that Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) which is now the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 had created serious apprehensions in the minds of the people not just in Nagaland but also across the region.
“The PDA government had always maintained a consistent stand from the very beginning as we have said that Nagaland is protected under the provisions of Article 371A of the Constitution and the ILP Regulation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873,” Rio said in his budget speech on the floor of the House.
He said that the PDA government consulted all stakeholders including the civil societies and tribal hohos on 31 January 2019 and “it was collectively resolved to oppose the bill while observing that Nagaland is protected under the special provisions.”
He said that in that meeting held at Rhododendron Hall in Police Complex Chümoukedima, a resolution with civil societies was adopted which was followed by an Assembly resolution dated 25th February, 2019. In both the resolutions, while opposing the Bill, it was observed that Nagaland is protected.
He said the state government had also taken up the matter with the Government of India “our opposition to the Bill and demanded exemption of Nagaland from the purview of the proposed law.”
The Chief Minister said that the Government of India, through the Union Home Minister, held consultative meetings with Naga civil society, tribal hoho representatives, political parties and NGOs on 3rd December 2019 wherein it was committed that Nagaland would be exempted in view of the ILP regime of BEFR 1873.
Stating that the CAB was discussed and passed by both houses of Parliament and is now law in the shape of the CAA, Rio said “Now the provisions of the ILP and BEFR 1873 provision have been mentioned and incorporated into a Union law and have received a constitutional endorsement,” Rio said.
Rio said that what was once a difficult situation has turned out to our advantage as the ILP and BEFR 1973 are now further strengthened not just for Nagaland state but also for other neighbouring states of the north eastern region.
“Our consistent stand that we are protected has been vindicated as our neighbours also began to demand the introduction of the ILP regime in their respective states so that they too can be protected and exempted,” Rio said adding that the ILP regime is now further strengthened as other north eastern states are also covered by the same provisions and “we can collectively address any concerns whenever the situation may arise.”
