Nagaland NewsJCPI, tribal hohos & CSOs reject CAA

JCPI, tribal hohos & CSOs reject CAA

* Say, ILP & Art. 371 A will not protect the state from CAA

Serve ultimatum on govt to submit final RIIN report

Against two cut- off dates for ILP

Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) said it has rejected outright the concept of Citizenship (Amendment) Act for all time to come.

This was among several resolutions adopted at a joint meeting with all tribal apex bodies and civil society organizations, at Hotel Tourist Lodge, Dimapur on December 18.

In a press note, JCPI convenor, K Ghokheto Chopi and secretary Tia Longchar said the house opined that once the CAA is imposed in the neighbouring states, protective clauses like the Inner Line Permit and Article 371 A will not protect the state of Nagaland even though it has been exempted under CAA. 

The house demanded the state political parties– NDPP and NPF to come out with a clear-cut stand, as to why the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs representing the citizens of Nagaland, voted for in favour of CAA. They warned that the MPs would be held responsible, should the future of Naga people be put to jeopardy at the end of the day.

While extending solidarity with all anti-CAA movements across the North-East and other parts of India, the meeting condemned the killings perpetrated upon indigenous protestors by the Assam Police and by the immigrants in Tripura. The house decided to co-operate with other states under the aegis of NEFIP on the issue of CAA.

On the other hand, the members were firm against having two cut-off dates with regard to coverage of ILP over Dimapur. It pointed out that BEFR 1873 had come along with creation of statehood on December 1,1963. Since Indigenous Certificate were being issued on the basis of December 1, 1963, the house asserted that it (Dec 1, 1963) should be the same cut-off date and year for ILP, which was non-negotiable.

Further, the house also served an ultimatum on the government to submit the final report of the RIIN commission before January 31, 2020 and the final notification to be issued latest by February 29, 2020.

At the meeting, the house also condemned the memorandum submitted “by some vested interest non-local groups to the state government”, requesting it not to bring Dimapur under ILP coverage.

The house maintained that the appeal was a misrepresentation of facts and a mischievous attempt to sow strife and division among different communities. 

JCPI said it had in the past consulted non-Naga communities and considered them as fellow- stakeholders in the demand for ILP coverage in Dimapur. Therefore, JCPI said it was ever ready to reason and sort out any genuine grievances or doubts with any communities in Dimapur.

 

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