With the union cabinet giving clearance on Wednesday, the tabling and passage of CAB is now just a matter of time. Based on reports available so far in media, it seems that the ‘protective walls’ which the entire Northeast inclusive of Arunachal Pradesh had been demanding, have been incorporated in this much talked-about and overly contentious bill. At the moment, it will be rather too early to measure how much these protections will be able to convince and satisfy the Northeast people since reactions and moods are yet to arrive in substantial terms. But since the issue is related directly and deeply with the fortunes of the Northeast of today and tomorrow, it’s beyond doubt the issue will steal limelight just as it has been currently doing and continue to be discussed at length in coming days. 

In all probability CAB will be tabled in LS on Monday next and the BJP has pressed into service all its senior leaders and ministers to reach out to NDA allies as well as opposition for its passage in this session itself. It has been learnt that NE has been exempted from the purview of CAB  and Inner Line Permit regime areas along with regions governed under Sixth Schedule  have been excluded. With this, it may be said that a primary concern of Arunachal which is currently governed by ILP rules has been addressed and it also goes without saying that to protect the state more adequately from the situation evolving out of the post-CAB scenario, the only practical option left will be to further strength this filtering system and making it more robust. But looking at other NE states, particularly those currently not under ILP and with Sixth Schedule having a limited presence in certain pockets only, it is very likely that there might still be deep reservations. It will be interesting to see how things unfold in Assam which has a long history of anti-immigrant movement and the possible contradiction the bill might entail vis-s-vis the Assam Accord. Also, there are obvious reasons why there is so much uproar regarding the bill. It’s perhaps the first in the history of independent India that a piece of legislation has been conceived where religion is the keyword and been widely believed as ultra vires to the Constitution. And even if passed, it would not be surprising either if its validity is challenged in courts of law. As a whole, the current atmosphere foretells that much of the drama might be still left.

But the question which continues lingering is why the nation should have to devote so much time and energy on CAB when more pressing issues like mending the economy are crying for more immediate attention?

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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