Amit Shah
File photo of union home minister Amit Shah.

Union home minister Amit Shah has assured the Manipur People Against CAB (MANPAC) that the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) would not affect Manipur.

Shah made the assurance to the organization during their recent meeting along with other civil society organizations, students’ bodies and different political parties in Delhi on CAB, informed Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, convener of MANPAC.

The MANPAC was represented by nine members during the meeting.

Dilipkumar said during the meeting with Shah, the MANPAC delegation emphasized that the bill should not be implemented in Manipur considering the fact that the flow of illegal migrants would go out of control in the state.

Stating that union home minister Amit Shah’s assurance would be discussed with the people of the state, MANPAC spokesperson Ningthouja Lancha said a resolution would be taken for future course of action after the proposed meeting.

Though the MANPAC convenor said Shah had assured them that Manipur would not be affected by the bill, the redrafted bill is likely to exclude only 3 states in the Northeast out of its ambit besides the tribal areas in as many as three other NE states.

Three northeastern states – Arunachal, Nagaland and Mizoram – where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system is applicable will be out of the purview of the CAB.

The draft of the Bill reads: “Nothing in this section shall apply to tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura as included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the area covered under ‘The Inner Line’ notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.”

It may be mentioned that Manipur has neither any tribal area under the Sixth Schedule nor it has ILP system.

Also read: Centre to introduce CAB in Lok Sabha on Monday

The Manipur state units of Shiv Sena and the Communist Party of India (CPI), which have vehemently opposed the bill, announced that they would organize protests if the bill is tabled in the Parliament.

According to reports, the BJP-led government plans to introduce the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha on December 9.

Sources said the business advisory committee of Lok Sabha in its meeting held on Thursday morning has decided to introduce the bill on December 9.

“The bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha and after its passage in the Lower House, it will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha,” sources said.

The Union cabinet on Wednesday passed the CAB paving way for its introduction in the Lok Sabha.

The CPI reportedly submitted a memorandum to union home minister Shah where they termed the bill as ‘anti-constitutional’ and ‘anti-secular’.

The left party is of the view that owing to the porous boundary of Manipur, a large number of illegal immigrants have already infiltrated into the state.

CAB would pose a big challenge to the indigenous people of the state, who have already been threatened, the CPI said.

Meanwhile, in a meeting at Imphal on Monday evening, Manipur chief minster N Biren Singh informed a team of MANPAC that the state government has been pressing the Centre either to exempt Manipur from the purview of the CAB or insert a special clause in the bill so that the people are not affected by it.