Agencies
AIZAWL, AUGUST 12
MIZORAM Home Minister R. Lalzirliana met with Central YMA Office leaders yesterday and discussed the plan of the organization to conduct Chakma Census.
The Home Minister asked Central YMA leaders to put on halt their plan to conduct Chakma Census. He said he was afraid their plan to conduct census for a particular community would be against the Constitution.
Chief Secretary L. Tochhong and Officers under Home Department were also present in the meeting.
The Home Minister told the NGO leaders that he acknowledged their plan to conduct Chakma Census arises out of their love of the Mizos and to safeguard the same. He thanked YMA for its genuine love for the Mizo society.
In the mean time, said the Home Minister, it is necessary to take caution in that conducting census out of sheer nationalism could result to disintegration and chaos among communities.
The Home Minister shared his opinion that it would be against the Constitution to conduct a census for one particular community within Mizoram, and therefore, asked YMA not to go ahead with their plan as of now.
Saying that no government in Mizoram ought to ever allow illegal entry of outsiders, Home Minister called on the CYMA leaders to cooperate with the government in properly maintaining Village Register which is meant for keeping record of genuine settlers of each village. He further suggested that a systematic plan be made such that this Village Register is tabled in the Legislative Session, adding, the same would be a good means of preventing illegal entry of outsiders.
YMA leaders on their part said that their plan to conduct census is not at all to create problem and not along ethnic discrimination. Neither is it a plan to give benefit to one political party, they added.
