UCM calls for referendum on CAB 2016
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 10 2019: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has urged all the CSOs, indigenous people and political parties of Manipur and the North East to get ready for a referendum and to decide what should be done in future, if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 is passed in Rajya Sabha and implemented.

The civil society organization has also stated that it considers the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Lok Sabha despite strong opposition from the people, stakeholders and political leaders, including several Chief Ministers from the North East region as part of the Government of India's efforts to suppress the State Assemblies of the North East States and curtail the political rights of the North East people.

Addressing a press meet held today at their Lamphel-pat office, UCM secretary general Khuraijam Athouba alleged that the passage of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Lok Sabha has clearly revealed that the Gol considers the people of the North East Region as a sub-class and expendable citizens.

He continued it is high time for all the people and CSOs of the North East to introspect into the insidious policies followed by Gol in the North East region.

Till today, the people of Manipur and the North East region have not been treated at par with citizens of other regions of the country and the people of the North East have been suffering under several martial laws like AFSPA.

The Gol has been trying to annihilate the identities of the indigenous people of North East people and their cultural and political rights through introduction of Hinduised history and cultures in education syllabus which has led to dilution of the original identities, histories, cultures and other values of the North East region, Athouba alleged.

Besides, the Government of India has been exploiting the resources of the North East region in the names of taking up several initiatives, such as construction of dams and oil exploration without giving any benefits to the indigenous people of the region.

Now the Gol has been trying to eliminate the political rights and voice of the North East people by encouraging refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to completely dominate the demographic profiles of all the Northeastern States.

People of the North East region and CSOs should take a referendum and collectively decide what should be done at this juncture, the UCM secretary general opined adding that UCM will work towards co-coordinating the CSOs and people of the North East region in this regard.

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