Moral victory: Neso lauds people of Northeast over CAB

Dimapur, Feb. 13 (EMN): The North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) has congratulated all the “indigenous people” of Northeast for standing up against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2016, stating that the Government of India could not table it on the floor of the Rajya Sabha during the Budget session because of the “united and concerted effort” of the people to stall it.

Calling the occasion (stalling of CAB in RS) as a “Moral Victory” for the indigenous people of Northeast, Neso said in a statement that “we can achieve in stalling this Bill is only because of the united continuous movement of the people. This also goes on to show that the Government of India will not concede to our demands on a platter but we have to fight and struggle for the protection and survival of our indigenous people of Northeast.”

Neso, which is a conglomeration of several apex students’ bodies from Northeast, organised a complete shut-down in the region on Jan. 8 to protest the move of the central government to pass the controversial Bill.

“Neso would like to thank all the component organisations who have worked very hard and sacrifice a lot to oppose this draconian Bill,” read the statement issued by the chairman and general secretary of the organisation. It also thanked different state governments of the region, especially Meghalaya led by CM Conrad Sangma and Mizoram led by CM Zoramthanga; students’ unions, social organisations, and women organisations for taking a bold stand on the issue.

The organisation thanked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and several political parties like Shiv Sena, Congress, SP, BJD, TMC, DMK, SAD, NPP, AGP, TDP, BPF and others for extending support in opposing the Bill. It also remembered “all the people who were injured during this movement especially in Tripura, Manipur and Assam and salute their bravery and wish for their speedy recovery and their sacrifice has not gone in vain.”

“Lastly, Neso would like to give a strong warning to the Government of India not to adopt, implement policies which is detrimental to the interest of indigenous people of Northeast,” read the statement.

The government of India could not pass the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill and Triple Talaq Bill in the Upper House during the Budget session, which ended on Feb. 13, after the Lower House passed it on Jan. 8 amid protests across the Northeast region.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday, which means the contentious Bills are set to lapse on June 3 when the term of the present Lok Sabha ends. The Bills should now be reintroduced in the newly-constituted Lok Sabha.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill allows people belonging to minority communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to apply for Indian citizenship after six years of stay in the country.

Naga Women Hoho Dimapur voices against CAB
The Naga Women Hoho Dimapur (NWHD) on Wednesday said that it is against the CAB and appreciated the Nagaland BG Federation for leading from the front to “protect the rights of the Nagas.”

NWHD warned that it won’t tolerate any political party that compromises the future of the Nagas and “ready to come out in the streets to go against the CAB Bill in order to safeguard the interest of the Nagas.”

“The identity of the Nagas are distinct and cannot be compromised by any political or personal interest and whoever does, will be considered as murderers playing with the Nagas freedom and promiscuous upon our future (sic),” read the statement. It also appealed to all political parties ‘not to take advantage of CAB only for the upcoming election but to keep in mind that it will burn down the unity and goodwill mission of the Naga women.’

The NWHD also appealed to the Governor and Chief Minister of the state to “hear the cries of the Nagas so as to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous People of the State, instead of protecting and giving shelter to the illegal immigrants through the Bill.”