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Naga students burning an effigy during a public rally at Kohima on Friday.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 30 (EMN): Terming the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 as a complete violation of human rights, devised to divide the people, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has asserted it will remain a strong opposition to the Bill and ‘will not back down in any manner.’
The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before Dec. 31, 2014.
Joining the rest of the north-eastern states to show resentment at the government of India’s proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, the NSF organised a public rally at Old MLA junction, Kohima on Friday morning. In a short programme attended by students, effigies depicting “illegal immigrants” were burnt.
The rally is part of a series of agitations being organised under the banner of North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) across NE states.
Addressing the gathering, the president of NSF, Christopher Ltu said the Bill is a ‘direct threat to our social structure, history, and culture.’ He asserted the NSF would “strongly resist the creation of another Tripura in the region.”
Stating that the Northeast region is filled with ‘foreigners from the erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh),’ he said the NSF fully supports the signing of Assam Accord by the All Assam Students’ Union on March 1971, which was the cut off year for detection and deportation of foreigners from Assam.
He termed the proposed Bill a “political conspiracy” by the government of India to impose the “burden of the post 1971 Bangladeshis” in the Northeast region and another effort to encourage “infiltration of Hindus from Bangladesh” to the region.
According to Joyson Yitsuthu, the president of Pochury Students’ Union, “we will be slaves in our land” if the Bill is allowed to pass.
“We are here today opposing the Bill because of our future and it is our bounden duty to protect our land for posterity,” said Yitsuthu.
The general secretary of Lotha Students’ Union, Ashanthung Humtsoe said that “outsiders” own 85% of the business establishments in Wokha town out of which “65% are suspected to be illegal immigrants.” He urged the people to spread the message and create awareness about the influx of “illegal immigrants.”
The NSF had on Aug. 24 submitted a memorandum to the chief minister demanding, among others, to include Dimapur district in the purview of Inner Line Permit as per the provisions of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BERF) 1873.
Subsequently, the state government wrote to the NSF on Sep. 22 assuring “all necessary steps to ensure that the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 is implemented in both letter and spirit.”
The reply also stated that a committee has been formed under the commissioner and secretary of P&AR with home commissioner, commissioner of Nagaland, commissioner and secretary of IT, secretary of Law, ADG police, IGP TNT, secretary of Home and special secretary of Home as members. The committee was directed to examine the matter and submit interim report within 15 days, and the complete report in 2 months.
In its interim report, the committee had made several recommendations which are currently being examined, it was informed. It further stated that directions have been issued to all deputy commissioners to ensure no “illegal immigrants” enter the state.
The district administrations have also been asked to ensure that ILP is not issued to those whose names are not in the NRC list published by the Assam government.
However, according to the NSF president, even after a lapse of two months, the Federation is yet to receive the committee’s final report.
The general secretary of NSF, Imtiyapang said the Bill is a total mockery and against the principles of secularism the country is proud of. Asserting that it was not against any particular religion or community, he said that the NSF will not “back down” but seek to protect “the rights of the people.”