File image of NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa. Courtesy: Meghalaya Times

Last Updated on November 11, 2021 10: 00pm

The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) has accused the BJP-led NDA government of trying to use the Assam Rifles to oppress people’s movement for bringing back the Citizenship Amendment Bill after the Lok Sabha election.

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The reaction came following the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs wherein the Centre has given sweeping powers to the Assam Rifles to arrest anyone, search any place without any warrant in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

Also read: Mizoram: PRISM to approach human rights forum on warrant issued to Assam Rifles

However, the notification has been kept in abeyance following some technical formalities.

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In a statement issued in Shillong on Friday, NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa condemned such unwarranted action on the part of the Centre and said, “This can be termed as state sponsored oppression which further proves of the attitude that the BJP-led Central government has towards the indigenous people of the Northeast,” according to reports.

Also read: Assam: Opposition leader opposes special powers given to Assam Rifles by Centre

Jyrwa said the NESO wonders whether this move by the Central government is in any way connected to its inability to table the CAB in the just concluded session of the Rajya Sabha due to the people’s movement.

The NESO chairman further stated that it seems that the Centre is never satisfied to subject the indigenous people of the Northeast to ‘untold misery and suffering through AFSPA which has been in imposition for decades but more and more draconian measures are being imposed just like this notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs’.

Also read: Now Assam Rifles have power to arrest and search without warrant in Northeast

This ‘unprovoked move by the Centre can be termed as downright tyranny on the indigenous peoples of the North East’ and NESO calls upon all the indigenous people to be united, alert and to rise to the occasion in the event of any eventuality, he further added.