The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) said the move of the BJP to bring back the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) is an insult to people’s movement in the northeastern region.
However, BJP leader Rahul Sinha said it does not matter how much negative publicity against the Bill has been done, his party would at last succeed in making the public aware about the benefit of the Bill.
On February 13, the BJP-led NDA government could not table the Bill in Rajya Sabha and the Bill got lapsed.
The NESO, a conglomerate of various students bodies from the Northeast including All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), and All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), reacted strongly in its statement.
While condemning the BJP move, the NESo stated: “…this is an insult to the people’s movement in the Northeast against the Bill” after BJP national president Amit Shah made a statement that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 would be again brought if the BJP is voted to power after Lok Sabha polls.
Reiterating its stand against illegal Bangladeshis, NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said, “This statement is a clear reflection of the mindset which indicates that they don’t have any regard for the sentiments, emotions and welfare of the indigenous people of the Northeast but rather their design is to reduce the microscopic indigenous communities to a minority by flooding the region with illegal Bangladeshis to achieve their Hindutva objective.”
“An illegal Bangladeshi is an illegal Bangladeshi irrespective whether a Hindu or Muslim. The NESO would like to send a clear message that we will never accept this draconian Bill,” the NESO said while urging all indigenous people in the North East to stand united to thwart such “evil designs for the survival of the race, identity, culture, language and the future generations.”
BJP national general secretary Rahul Sinha while speaking to reporters at the BJP office in Shillong on Monday alleged that some people and some organizations were misleading the citizens about Bill for their selfish motives.
“With regards to the CAB, wrong information is being circulated. Some groups are misleading the people and some conspiracy is going on to mislead people,” Sinha said, adding that some outside forces were also working on it.
According to the BJP leader, the CAB spreads love and brotherhood among the people and on humanitarian ground too, the Bill will construct human chain.
“The CAB is the victim of conspiracy. Neither the bill will hamper nor differentiate anyone. To make the passing of Bill success, the BJP will create public awareness, and the party believes that no matter how much negative publicity was done, the BJP will at last succeed in making the public aware about the benefit of the Bill,” said Sinha.
He also said in some areas, confusion was spread about the Bill, and some people within the BJP were also confused.
“But when we will explain the entire matter, this confusion will be removed. That’s why, due to some communication gap within the BJP confusion was created. But this gap will be removed through talks and by spreading awareness. Some of the BJP workers became victim of this confusion and we will make them aware. This bill has time constrain and it was produced hurriedly. After the Lok Sabha elections, we will talk about the Bill and will clear the confusion. Through talks, we will clear all confusion. Our government is a coalition government, and we will run the government,” Sinha said.