ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Jan 6:  Students organizations across the Northeast under the aegis of North East Students Organization (NESO) have called 11-hour Northeast bandh against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and threatened to resort to ‘civil disobedience movement’ against the central government. The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) will lead the bandh in the state.
Addressing reporters at Press Club, state Coordinator NESO, Pritam Bai Sonam alleged the despite repeated and strong objection from various sections of society especially from Northeast, the central government is all set to table the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Lok Sabha. ‘We totally object the central government for playing religious politics by projecting to confer  citizenship  to minority groups like Hindu, Christian ,Jain, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsis except Muslims from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan,’ he added.
Consequence of such move by the Centre may trigger public uprising against the central government and situation might lead to aggression as well as civil disobedience movement, claimed the NESO Coordinator. He further added ‘We are not opposing any political party but we are opposing the said Bill.’
When ask about the support from  Northeastern MPs, Sonam categorically  claimed that cutting across party lines almost all the Members of Parliament  of Northeast are against the Bill.

Sending a strong message, President AAPSU, Hawa Bagang cautioned the Centre not to take the sentiments of the people of Northeast for granted.

‘When a state like Arunachal Pradesh is already struggling with Chakma-Hajong and Tibetan refugees issue, don’t make  Northeast a dumping ground through  the  Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.Our people are ready to go to any extent to protect indigenous rights,’ Bagang cautioned.
The AAPSU has also directed all its federal units to enforce the bandh and also appealed civil society to come forward and support the cause.
‘It is a tactical move by the Centre to grant citizenship to Chakma –Hajong refugees as the said Bill will provide citizenship to minorities and most of the Chakma-Hajong are either Buddhist or Hindu,’ said General Secretary AAPSU, Tobom Dai. He also decried Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement to table the Bill during a public rally in Assam recently.
During the bandh call, all emergency vehicles, students appearing exams, medical, media and defence vehicles would be exempted.

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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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