Urges state govt to oppose bill
Growing opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has found echo in Nagaland too with the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) opposing the Bill and extending its support to the voices of indigenous people across the North Eastern States and Assam against the proposed legislation.
Expressing serious concern over the possible negative impact of the Bill on the state, NTC through its media cell urged Government of India to reconsider its policy and not go against the sentiments of indigenous people.
While lauding the decision of Meghalaya government of firmly opposing the Bill, NTC also urged Nagaland government to oppose the Bill keeping in mind the popular wish and interests of the citizens of the State.
NTC feared that once the Bill is passed, it will grant citizenship to people belonging to minority communities of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Stating that the Bill would allow religious groups from other countries to return to India and become its bona fide citizens, NTC termed the proposed legislation as “subjective and communal” as it stands for the interests of Hindus in particular overriding Indian pluralism and secularism.
According to NTC, granting citizenship on religious consideration was dangerous and against secular principles of India.
Northeast is highly infested by illegal immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh, and regularisation of these illegal residents will be a direct threat to the region’s political future and survival of its indigenous people, their identity, culture and land, it warned.
NTC pointed out that in Assam, where 20 million illegal immigrants from Bangladesh alone are already residing there, the new law will only facilitate continuous flow of illegal immigrants to that State and its neighbours. So, sensing the possible impact of the Bill, leading civil society organisations, along with “sensible MLAs” cutting across political lines, are vehemently protesting in Assam, it added.
NTC said the apprehension of people of Assam is obvious given the fact that when the floodgate is opened, indigenous landowners in the State will be overwhelmed by the foreigners in due course of time. The native people of Assam will become secondary citizens by these intruders, it warned.
Justifying the protests of the people of Assam under the aegis of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) as right and timely, the council stated they deserve support from all indigenous communities in the Northeast.
It stressed that Assam is a “good neighbour” and acts as the gateway to Nagaland, adding that the inter-State is and will remain porous.
NTC further pointed out that as “when Assam gets cold Nagaland sneezes”, Nagaland’s border too cannot be sealed from infiltration of those illegal people in the long run. And when Assam is flooded with foreigners, Nagaland will become the first victim of the proposed Bill, it cautioned.