Citizenship Bill: NPF says ‘something amiss in PDA’s U-turn’

Dimapur, Jan. 29 (EMN): The Naga People’s Front has expressed amusement at the latest decision of the PDA government’s cabinet “that witnessed backtracking from its earlier decision not to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NPF stated that “while appreciating the PDA government for heeding (sic) the cries of the people, yet the sudden U-turn of the PDA government clearly indicates that something is amiss.”

According to the party, the PDA’s decision to “reject the bill all of a sudden is a welcoming step but as to what has prompted them to retract all its big utterances made in the past few days citing Article 371 A and ILP as a blanket shield for the entire Nagas.”

Lauding the latest step taken by the PDA government to reject the Bill, the NPF asked whether the government of the day will again backstep (sic) the call of the Naga people in the near future.

“The NPF looks on with amazement at the wavering and indecisiveness  of  the PDA government which  has at one point of time in its cabinet meeting earlier on January 7, 2019  appealed the Centre to review the CAB ,and again calling for consultative meeting with all the tribal hohos, civil societies, NGOs, political parties and all stakeholders, only goes on to show their incapability to take the Naga people for healthier growth.

“The NPF wonders, if the PDA government has ever truly cared for the posterity of the Nagas and against the CAB, why is the need for the PDA government to hold a consultative when the whole Naga populace is against the enforcement of the Bill or the spin doctors of the PDA leaders have certain motive to impress the Naga people and retain their chairs,” the statement read.

The ‘big question,’ according to the NPF, was whether the PDA’s Lok Sabha representative Tokheho Yepthomi would withdraw his “vote” for the Citizenship Bill now that the PDA cabinet has decided to reject the Bill.

“As, for the NPF Rajya Sabha MP it will outrightly oppose the Bill in the upper house.  The NPF expect that the present PDA government will stay committed to their decision and work for the upliftment (sic) and welfare of the Naga society,” it stated.