Temjen Imna Along (BJP Nagaland President) got his facts wrong :: NPCC

Kohima, 22nd January 2020

The repeated statements of BJP Nagaland President Shri Temjen Imna Along on Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 is strongly condemned. The half truths and whole lies has become the hallmark of BJP to force their divisive agenda on the people. It is the BJP which has politicized CAA by making religion as the basis for citizenship that has struck at the liberal and plural idea of India.

Moreover, Temjen Imna Along got his facts wrong on Nagaland being a 6th Schedule State. This only showed his ignorance and eagerness to indulge in talking without ascertaining facts which is unbecoming of a person holding high position in party as well as in government.

Nagaland being safeguarded by ILP from CAA is simply a false assurance by BJP. The same BJP kept reassuring J&K political leaders that Article 370 will not be touched even 48 hour prior to revoking on Aug 5, 2019 and those political leaders are still kept under detention.

CAA exemption based on ILP is just a ploy to divide the NE region and contain the fallout. The fact of the matter is, despite having ILP for several decades, the state government is unable to check the influx of illegal migrants and the fallout of CAA & NRC in neighbouring Assam and other parts of the country will surely open the floodgates for those granted citizenship through CAA to procure ILP and quietly settle down among the tribal population.

Talking about Article 371A, it places Nagaland as the most safeguarded state in the Indian Union after Article 370 was removed from the state of J&K. Article 371A cannot be BJPs exclusive commitment to the people of Nagaland since the said Article was inserted in the Indian Constitution long before BJP was formed. The attempt of the BJP to twist the facts speaks about their desperation to appropriate the achievements of others in absence of their contribution to nation building.

It is heartening to see that the protest against CAA in Nagaland has seen college and university students coming to the forefront. It augurs well for Nagaland that the younger generations are well informed and are not going to tolerate the complicity of those in power who are ready to sacrifice the interest of the people of Nagaland just to hold on to their chairs.

The silence of different Naga groups and Civil Society organizations on CAA is indeed baffling and shocking. It is very unfortunate that Nagas are being ‘led up the garden path’ by BJP to avoid any protest on CAA fallout. Nagas needs to be reminded that CAA followed by NRC and thereafter Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will ensure conformity and uniformity to the majoritarian agenda which will act as the final solution to Naga political aspirations.

Unless we all raise our voices at this crucial juncture, our silence will only embolden BJP & RSS to keep our people divided and impose their way of life on us which will sound the death knell for our much proclaimed ‘unique Naga history.’

Issued by: -
Communications Department,
NPCC