'Bill along religious line unconstitutional'
Is the State Govt aware of CAB: Gaikhangam
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 09 2019: Ex-Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has claimed that there won't be any law which is more draconian than the Citizenship Amendment Bill which was passed yesterday in the Lok Sabha, adding that making a law based on religious line is completely against the Indian Constitution as well as International laws.

Speaking to media persons at his official residence at Babupara today afternoon, Gaikhangam said that the Bill will be a grave threat to a small State like Manipur and asked if the present State Government is oblivious to the adverse impacts the Bill will have on the State.

Gaikhangam, who is also a Member of the Congress Working Committee, said that the new Bill is worse than AFSPA 1958 and added that it is highly condemnable that such a dangerous Bill was green lit in the Lok Sabha yesterday.

Questions can be asked whether the BJP led NDA Government at the Centre had any knowledge of the impact the Bill will have on the North East States, or not.

It is immensely disappointing to see the NDA Government resorting to such electoral politics without considering the long term negative effects on National integrity, Gaikhangam lamented.

Informing that laws based on religion are not acceptable, he said that the said act of the BJP Government is also against International laws, apart from being un-Constitutional.

Fearing that such a situation might occur, the Congress party had been protesting against introducing the Bill in the Parliament.

The party had even pressured the President and the Home Minister to do the needful as the Bill had the potential to not only harm the North East but also the whole country.

As the Congress party/representative failed to meet the Prime Minister at that time, a memorandum was submitted to the PMO, Gaikhangam explained.

Stating that the greatest brunt of the Bill will be borne by a small State like Manipur, the ex-Dy CM said that if the Bill becomes an Act, the State will be completely ruined.

Asking if the present State Government did not have any knowledge about the negative impacts of the Bill, Gaikhangam said that the passing of the Bill is similar to dropping a nuclear bomb.

He then reasoned that it is time for all to drop any difference and come together to face the burning issue.

If not, the very survival of Manipur will be at stake, he added.

Claiming that the Bill was passed against the wishes of the people, Gaikhangam said that most important issue right now is the survival of the State.

It is high time of the Government to put the survival of the State first because if the identity and the population of the indigenous community wither away, the State will eventually die, he reasoned.

Taking about the claim by Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the past that Citizenship Amendment Bill was only for Assam and would not affect Manipur, Gaikhangam asked if a Bill passed in the Parliament and turned into an Act can be nullified by an Act in the State.

Claiming that the notion of the State Government is completely wrong, Gaikhangam lamented that the State Government should have taken up necessary steps to prevent the Bill from being passed in the first place.

The passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, at a time when the Manipur Peoples Protection Bill is awaiting approval, shows that the Bill which is supposed to protect the indigenous people of Manipur, will become a farce, he added.

Gaikhangam further alleged that this brazen act of the Central Government is also a sign that it has little regard for the people of Manipur and their survival.

Regarding the claim by CM Biren in the past that the Bill was only for Assam, the ex Dy CM further reasoned that if the Bill was only for Assam, men is it not right for the Bill to be passed by the State Government of Assam and not Parliament.

He then conveyed that it is high time for all to come together and prevent the Bill from being turned into an Act.

Otherwise, the small indigenous communities of the State will be completely overpowered by larger communities and the future generation of Manipur will be at stake, he added.

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