To sensitise folks on CAB 2016...Student bodies line up public convention
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 15 2019: Conveying that they would jointly organize a public convention/discourse against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 on January 20, leaders of six students' organizations namely AMSU, DESAM, MSF, KSA, SUK and AIMS have today appealed to the people of all communities to participate at the public discourse.

The students' organizations have also asked all political parties active in the State, including the ruling parties to boldly oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and collectively fight and see that the Bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha recently is withdrawn.

They also appealed to the public to stage sit-ins at their respective localities and protest the Bill.

Addressing a press meet held today at Kwakeithel Boys' High School near Kwakeithel Bazar, AMSU president Manjit Sarangthem informed that the six students' organizations have decided to organize a public discourse on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in consideration of the need for people's collective struggle in combating the NDA Government's consistent efforts to pass the Bill further in the Rajya Sabha and enforce the same in the country.

He went on to ask all the political parties to boldly oppose and collectively fight the Bill while decrying that no significant step has been taken up by any of the political parties to protect the indigenous people of the State effectively till date.

Reminding that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was passed in Lok Sabha on January 8, Manjit alleged that the Bill was passed to eliminate the indigenous people of the North East and Manipur.

As such, all the people must stand united against the Bill.

He further condemned BJP students wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Manipur branch for posting a statement (released by BJP headquarters) on its Facebook page which can derail the movement against the Bill.

Pointing out that it is more important for all the students' wings of political parties active in the State to defend the State rather than defending the ideologies of their political parties, the AMSU president asked all students' wings of every political party to come out and take part in the movement against the Bill to protect the indigenous people of the State and North East as a whole.

He also urged the intellectual groups and artistes' fraternities in the State to join the movement against the contentious Bill while questioning their silence even after the said Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha.

DESAM vice president N Edison sought every possible support from the public to make the public discourse which will be held on January 20 successful and towards building up a strong movement against the Bill.

Pointing out that there is still an absence of concrete political decision in the State regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Edison lamented that none of the Ministers, MLAs and political leaders of the State have declared any noteworthy decision like Ministers and political leaders of neighbouring States who have declared to quit their respective posts or sever ties with BJP.

"Hence, the six student organizations consider merely commenting on the Bill by Ministers and political leaders as just pretensions not to lose votes in future elections", he added.

Meanwhile, AIMS advisor Longjam Abothe Meitei on behalf of the six student organizations appealed the public to stage mass sit-in-protest at every locality against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

Many other leaders of the six student organizations also attended the press meet.

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