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  India   All India  27 Jan 2019  Mizoram governor addresses empty ground

Mizoram governor addresses empty ground

THE ASIAN AGE. | MANOJ ANAND
Published : Jan 27, 2019, 7:35 am IST
Updated : Jan 27, 2019, 7:35 am IST

People boycott Republic Day in Aizwal over Citizenship Bill.

Mizoram governor
 Mizoram governor

Guwahati: In what has drawn the attention of entire country, Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajasekharan unfurled the national flag and read his speech in the presence of security personnel, ministers, legislators and top state-central officials as not a single civil society member came out to take part in the Republic Day celebrations in Aizawl following a statewide boycott call given by an umbrella organisation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The boycott call was given by the NGO Coordination Committee, an organisation of civil society groups and students’ bodies. Informing that six armed contingents participated in the Republic Day parade, security sources said that there has been tradition of at least 30 contingents traditionally taking part in the Republic Day celebrations.

The impact of the boycott call was visible at various district headquarters of the state as well. Though the national flag was unfurled at district, sub-divisional and block headquarters, majority of senior officers and public did not turn up to observe the Republic Day.

However, the celebrations passed off peacefully in the state without any untoward incident, despite the presence of placard-carrying protesters near the venues, police said.

In his address, Mr Rajasekharan said stringent measures would be taken to protect state borders, and welfare schemes for the development of people residing in border areas would be given due importance.

He said measures would be taken for execution of Mizoram Village-Level Citizen Registration, and emphasised that the state government is committed to preserve and promote the Mizo identity, tradition and values.

“This government will endeavour to work for the unity and brotherhood of all Mizo people living within India and across the globe within our constitutional framework,” he said. The governor said that Mizoram would introduce the Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP), a “holistic inclusive development programme, aimed at bringing in socio-economic transformation”.

The SEDP would accelerate growth in all key sectors where the state has tremendous potential, he said. Hinting that prohibition on liquor would be reimposed in the state, he said: “In keeping with our election manifesto, necessary measures will be taken to repeal the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition and Control) Act, 2014, implemented in the state since January 15, 2015.”

Mr Rajasekharan added that his government would continue to work towards making Mizoram the “cleanest state in India”. This came a day after massive protests against the citizenship bill by students and NGO bodies like Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and Young Mizo Association (YMA).

Unlike in Assam, where infiltration from Bangladesh has been an old issue, the concern in Mizoram is against the threat from the “illegal influx of Chakmas”. The Chakmas constitute over 10 per cent of the population of Mizoram and a large section of the Mizos do not consider them as part of their state and consider them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Mizo groups have also protested in the past seeking dissolution of Chakma Autonomous District Council. The controversial citizenship bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha earlier this month aims to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 by relaxing the citizenship eligibility rules for migrants belonging to six communities — Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian — from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Chakmas fall under the category of Hindu migrants.

The angry protestors had also burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh, displayed placards reading “Hello China, Bye Bye India.”

Tags: mizoram governor, citizenship (amendment) bill