Lotha Youth Hoho (LYH) said it was “comical” to expect that ILP and Article 371 (A) of the Indian constitution were enough to protect Nagaland from influx of foreigners following the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 by Parliament.
The youth body in a release alleged that ILP had become illegal money mending mechanism rather than protecting and safeguarding the identity and existence of indigenous people of the State.
Pointing out that there were much greater and grave matters for the government to attend then to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, LYH said there was the need to resurrect employment opportunities, GDP, health sector, education, road connectivity and transportation facilities, e-governance, tourism, inter-faith ties, encouraging scientific temperament, etc.
However, if CAA had to be implemented at any cost, the organisation said then, first and foremost, safety and interest of citizens had to be placed above all on utmost priority.
Pickings holes in CAA, LYH said CAA was against the secular principle of the Indian constitution, besides violating Article 14 of the constitution that ensures equality before law. It said protection of the Northeast from illegal immigrants had miserably failed and implementation of the Act was a “pure suggestive direction towards which we do not belong”.
Mentioning that neighbouring States could not be allowed to burn for no fault of theirs, the organisation further warned that if any part of North-eastern region fell victim under the Act, the worst would come. Hence, it demanded protection of regional interest for posterity.
The youth body said sons of the soil would face threat, adding that the Act was divisive, fascist in nature and a poison to democracy.
Alleging that CAA was created to systematically destroy the economic well-being of the region and the whole nation at large, LYH asserted that it was nothing short of “conceited ignorance working under vexed political conditions of concocted fantasies”.
Mentioning that MPs had voted in favour of the Bill without the consent of people they represent, the organisation declared they would be held accountable and answerable to the people.
It conceded that there were certain exceptions and provisions given to the Northeast like the areas covered by Sixth Schedule of the constitution and under Inner Line Permit.
“We cannot ignore the positive sides of the Act. However, we cannot simply follow the dictates of our political leaders without rhymes and reasons based on realities,” the release stressed.