A regional symposium on ‘Citizenship Amendment Bill – Impact on North East India’ was held at Dimapur Government College on Saturday.
Delivering the keynote address, Nagaland chief secretary Temjen Toy spoke on the issues, concerns and challenges related to CAB.
He said the citizenship is not for the State to decide.
Also read: NE indigenous body opposes CAB in its present form, terms it ‘unconstitutional’
He dwelt on the nuances on how CAB may affect the indigenous people of Nagaland as well as the other north eastern states.
Editor-in-chief of Inside NE, Afrida Hussain, who was the resource person, said the CAB undermines National Register of Citizens (NRC) and therefore, the Assam Accord.
Also read: Amit Shah’s CAB statement a challenge for NE: Nagaland Congress
She raised questions on this proposed exercise in the context of India being a secular and democratic country.
She gave an in-depth presentation on CAB beginning with the Citizenship Act of 1955.
Hussain said the concerns over the rights of the indigenous people were prominently highlighted and substantiated by some Chief Ministers of the Northeast.
The chairperson of the symposium, Moamongla Aier, assistant professor, political science, dwelt on the rationale and the need for conducting such a symposium on CAB.
The welcome address was delivered by the principal of the college, Kavili Jakhalu.
Dimapur deputy commissioner Kevekha Kevin Zehol and members of civil society organisations, faculty members and students of the college attended the programme.
