Neso warns of agitation against passage of CAB

Guwahati: The powerful North East Students’ Organisation (Neso), a conglomeration of leading student organizations of north-eastern states, on Friday threatened to launch agitation to prevent the passage to the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) which it described as “communal.”

The Neso adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya who has been in the forefront of anti-foreigners movement told reporters,”The proposed CAB is to give protection to illegal migrants at the cost of identities and safeguards of the indigenous people of the northeast. We cannot allow a communal, unconstitutional and anti-indigenous bill to become a legislation.”

Assam health minister and convener of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (Neda), Himanta Biswa Sarma, had announced last month that the Centre will introduce the (CAB) in Parliament in November and will ensure that it is passed. Mr Sarma also claimed that through the CAB, the Narendra Modi government will ensure that persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who have taken shelter in India till December 31, 2014, are granted citizenship.

The Neso chairman Samuel Jyrwa, taking cognisance to the minister’s remark said, “We will go for an agitation to prevent the passage of the CAB in the winter session of Parliament. On November 18, there will protests against the CAB in the state capitals of the region. The Centre should not impose the bill because it is against the interest of indigenous people of the northeast.”

The Neso leaders said, “We have been telling the Centre not to impose CAB. The proposed legislation is being pursued by the government for political benefits as it will create a vote bank. But we will not spare anybody who supports the bill.” The decision to intensify agitation to block CAB was taken in the executive body meeting of Neso which was held here on Thursday.

The executive body meeting also decided to have a National Register of Citizens (NRC) for all the seven states in the region. “Assam has got the NRC done. Now, all the NE states need NRC,” Mr Jyrwa added.

Neso has also demanded Inner Line Permit (ILP) in all states of the region to safeguard the interests of the indigenous people. At present, the ILP is required for people from other parts of the country travelling to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.

Neso also said the northeast needs more higher educational institutions to prevent the exodus of a large number of students moving out of the region every year for higher studies. Mr Bhattacharya claimed that over Rs 300 crore is being spent every year by students of the northeast for studying outside the region.

The Neso also demanded separate economic and employment policies for the region. With regards to central government sector located in the N-E, the Neso asked for 100 per cent job reservation in the group C & D category for indigenous inhabitants.