People should digest CAB first says BD Behring
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, January 16 2019: One of the noted intellectuals of Manipur who is also a former MP (Rajya Sabha) and former MLA, BD Behring has suggested that the people "should digest the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill first, then analyse the future impact including the collateral damages it would cause" .

BD Behring also said that it is "not prudent to raise a hue and cry just for the sake of it" .

BD Behring then posed few questions as to how many illegal migrants coming from these three countries are there in Manipur.

"How many of them have been residing for the last 6 years? How many of them have applied for Indian citizenship?� the former Rajya Sabha MP asked.

According to him, the Government of Manipur and the Government of India must surely have these numbers as they are illegal migrants.

"If there are no such illegal migrants in our State then why are we worried about the new Bill? Why are we so apprehensive about the new Bill? if there are many such illegal migrants residing in our State than what is the State Government doing till today? Why haven't they been deported till now? If there aren't any such illegal migrant's from these three countries then why are we so concerned?" BD Behring also asked.

The former MP said that if the new Bill is going to disturb the demography of the State then the people should protest against the Bill.

"But if it is not going to disturb our State populace then we need not raise such a hue and cry," he further stated.

According to BD Behring, the main highlight of the Bill "that is a cause of concern to us is the provision that seeks to allow some groups like Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to become citizens of India by attending the Citizens Act, 1955" .

Under this Act, the requirement for citizenship by naturalization is that the applicant must have resided in India during last 12 months, and for 11 of the previous 14 years, he further said.

"But the new Bill relaxes the 11 years requirement to six years for persons belonging to the above mentioned six religions coming from the three countries.

The apprehension we feel is that when this new Bill becomes an Act it would legalise many illegal migrants coming from these three countries," the former Rajya Sabha MP added.

"So, my humble suggestion is that we should digest the Bill first, then analyse the future impact and then the collateral damages it would cause," he suggested, adding, "It is not prudent to raise a hue and cry just for the sake of it" .

According to him, this would disturb the peace of the State and the people.

"But if there are any such illegal migrants in the State and pose any threat to the indigenous population of the State then we all should unite across all political lines and work to have BJP Mukt Manipur and North East," BD Behring added.

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