Shutdown across N-E today to protest citizenship bill
CONTENTIOUS BILL Normal life hit in Assam, Manipur and Tripura; North East Students Organisation call 11-hr strike
STATES SUCH AS MIZORAM, NAGALAND AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH, WHICH HAVE INNER LINE PERMIT REGIME AND SIXTH SCHEDULE AREAS IN ASSAM, TRIPURA AND MEGHALAYA HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM CAB
NEWDELHI: The tabling of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha on Monday has led to more protests against the controversial legislation in Assam, Manipur and Tripura.
In Assam, a 12-hour general strike called by several indigenous organisations affected normal life in several parts of the state.
Businesses and educational institutions remained shut and movement of vehicles disrupted during the duration of the strike in many towns in upper and lower Assam.
States like Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, which have inner line permit (ILP) regime and Sixth Schedule areas in Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya have been kept outside the ambit of CAB.
The entire northeast will witness a shutdown on Tuesday due to an 11-hour general strike called by North East Students Organisation (NESO), which comprises student bodies of seven states in the region.
MANIPUR
Normal life was also affected in Manipur on Monday due to ‘cease work’ movement against the bill launched by Manipur People Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MANPAC).
The movement which was started from 1am of December 9 is scheduled to continue till 3am of December 11.
Markets in the state capital Imphal wore a desolate look and local transport services also suspended their normal service.
“Our demand is to ensure CAB is not implemented in Manipur and rest of Northeast,” says MANPAC convenor Yumnamcha Dilipkumar. “We’ll continue our movement.”
TRIPURA
In Tripura, too, normal life was paralysed on Monday due to protests by the indigenous political parties against CAB.
The BJP’S ruling partner in the state, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), observed a dawn-to-dusk strike at Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas protesting against the bill and in demand of their separate statehood - Tipraland. The strike began from 6am.
ILP STATES
States with inner line permit (ILP) regime, which have been exempted from the purview of CAB, are also not entirely happy with the legislation.
K Elu Ndang, the general secretary of the Naga Hoho, the apex body of Naga tribes said the Nagas are opposed to the amendment. “We the Nagas don’t welcome the CAB,” he said.
“We are safe with the inner line permit if the government implements it in toto. But what is the need for the CAB? It will disturb the demography of the tribal Northeastern states,” he said adding that the Nagas fear that the immigrants may make their way into Naga inhabited areas as well.
Similar concerns were voiced by Lalmachhuana, the general secretary of the Central Young Mizo Association, a powerful civil society group in Mizoram.