AMSU rises to NESO's call, takes anti-CAB stand to Governor
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 18 2019: Condemning the possibility of bringing up Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in Parliament at a time when Manipur is already experiencing unrest due to the Naga political issue, the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) launched a protest today warning against implementation of CAB and submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding the same.

AMSU, under the aegis of North East Students' Organisation (NESO) organised a sit in protest at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community hall today, against the prospect of introducing CAB in the Parliament.

Speaking to media persons on the sideline of the protest, AMSU HRD secretary Pebam Bush said that the sit in protest was staged by AMSU as a part of the announcement made by NESO to stage protest in all seven capitals of the North East States against CAB today.

AMSU rises to NESO's call, takes anti-CAB stand to Governor

He continued that CAB was first introduced in 2016 in Parliament and then passed in the Lok Sabha but after facing intense backlash and opposition from the North East region, the Bill was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha for enactment.

The intention of the BJP led NDA Government in the Centre is extremely clear.

It plans to introduce the Bill again as Agenda No 16 during the Winter Parliamentary session and pass it in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and turn it into an Act.

AMSU, along with all the CSOs and MANPAC, will stand firm and strongly against any such attempt, he said.

He lamented that introducing the issue of CAB at a time when Manipur is in a tense state due to the Naga political issue, is like adding fuel to fire.

This will only enrage the people even further.

It will be the right decision for the Government at both the Centre and the State to act according to the sentiments and emotions of the people, he cautioned.

Pebam Bush further stated that this time, it will become quite clear whether the leaders care more about their posts or their motherland and added that instead of playing the blame game, all the political parties of the State should work together for the welfare of the State.

Following the sit in protest, AMSU volunteers decided to take out a rally to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Governor.

The volunteers shouted slogans against CAB and others like 'Long Live Manipur', 'Down Down BJP Government' etc.

However, when the rally reached Keishampat junction, they were stopped by a large number of para military forces and State police who erected iron barricades to prevent the rally from advancing further.

All vehicles coming towards Keishampat junction were diverted to other alternate routes.

After some heated arguments between the two sides, four AMSU representative were allowed to submit their memorandum to the Governor.

Meanwhile, the remaining volunteers who were blocked at Keishampat junction tried to march towards the residence of MP K Bhabananda by overpowering the security which led to a major scuffle and the security personnel began to lathi charge the AMSU volunteers.

Eventually , the situation was brought under control and the volunteers were forced to return to Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community from where the rally started.

The memo submitted by AMSU mentioned that NESO, which consist of All Arunachal Pradesh Student's Union (AAPSU), All Assam Students' Union (AASU), All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), Naga Students' Federation (NSF), Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Garo Students' Union (GSU), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Tripura Students' Federation (TSF) representing the students' community of the entire North East region, is dismayed that the Government of India is again intending to introduce CAB in the Parliament.

It recalled that there was tension and public agitation in the whole North East during January and February this year when the Central Government tried to get the Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha (which ultimately was not tabled).

Pointing out that the Government is again planning to bring back CAB in the Winter session of the Parliament, NESO vehemently opposed such a move and highlighted that the entire North East region is infested with foreigners from the erstwhile East Pakistan and now, Bangladesh.

They have infiltrated into and polluted every aspect of the social life of people belonging to the region, it mentioned adding that all the States of the North East region have suffered badly due to the illegal flow of the foreigners without any hindrance.

It reminded that many North East States have taken the load of Hindu refugees who migrated due to the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 and this Citizen (Amendment) Bill is again an attempt to impose the burden of the post 1971 Hindu Bangladeshis in the North East region which is not justified to say the least.

The North East is not a dumping ground for illegal Bangladeshis and to the people, a foreigner is a foreigner irrespective of his or her religion, it reasoned.

NESO explained that CAB will defeat the very purpose of signing the Assam Accord and informed that NESO fully supported the signing of the Assam Accord by the All Assam Students' Union setting March 25, 1971, as the cut off year for detection and deportation of the foreigners from Assam.

Opposing the objective of the Bill, NESO cautioned that it should not be adopted by the Parliament under any circumstances.

Such an undesirable step by the Parliament will once again agitate the entire North East region, it warned.

Pointing out that NESO cannot help but feel that the North East region remains a distant place for the Union Government, it claimed that the Union Government does not understand the problems and aspirations of the region.

The social structure, history and cultural values of the North East region are unknown to the rest of the country.

The intended Bill is the latest example that the lawmakers of the country have no regard for the future of the indigenous peoples of the region, it alleged.

NESO totally oppose the Bill and it should not be brought back but instead Inner Line Permit System should be introduced for the entire region.

National Register of Citizens (NRC) with a base year for each State should be implemented and also Constitutional safeguards should be granted to the people of NE States.