SHILLONG, MAY 10: Activists of the KSU and FKJGP on Thursday organized separate protests to strongly oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 proposed by the Centre to make illegal migrants who belong to six communities eligible for citizenship of India.
Armed with banners, Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) activists staged a surprise demonstration inside the premises of the State Convention Centre, while the Joint Parliament Committee on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was holding meetings with the various stakeholders for their views on the Bill.
Earlier before the meeting started, members of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) organized a sit-in-demonstration in front of the statue of Kiang Nangbah, a legendary freedom of the Jaintias, located about 200 metres away from Secretariat.
The sit-in-protest was also participated by peace-bound United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) general secretary Anup Chetia and leaders of the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF). FKJGP is part of the NEIPF led by Chetia.
The Bill was introduced by Centre in Lok Sabha in July 2016 to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who belong to six communities viz Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship of India.
Speaking to reporters, FKJGP chief Wellbirth Rani said that the objective of the protest is to send a strong message to the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre that the people of Meghalaya outrightly reject its proposed Bill on ground of identity and safety of the indigenous community.
“We cannot accept such a Bill which attempts to give citizenship based on religion,” he said while accusing the Centre of trying to convert the entire country into a Hindu nation through the Bill.
Stating that implementation of the Bill will be very dangerous for Meghalaya and other North East states, Rani said, “Though we are not against any religion but our stand is clear that we will not allow even an inch of our land to be given to illegal foreigners.”
The FKJGP president also lauded the bold decision taken by the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government led by the National People’s Party (NPP) to say “No” to the Citizenship (Amendment)
“However, we want the state government of Meghalaya to further take up the matter at the level of the Prime Minister to ensure that the Bill is not implemented,” he said.
On the other hand, HNYF general secretary Sadon K Blah said that the Centre through the Bill is attempting to convert the India into a Hindu nation by encouraging influx constitutionally and illegally.
“The Bill also seeks to promote dual citizenship because according to the draft Bill there is process to detect whether such migrants are no longer citizens of other countries,” he said.
By Our Reporter
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