Movement Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MACAB), a joint forum of opposition political parties of Tripura, to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 claimed credit for not passing of the CAB in Parliament and viewed it as the victory of the people.
The leaders claimed that the controversial legislation was not passed in the Parliament due to their agitation against it.
Congress and different tribal political parties like Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), IPFT Tipraha, National Conference of Tripura (NCT) formed MACAB, which claimed to be a non-political joint forum to protest against the CAB.
Congress tribal leader Sridam Debbarma said, “This time as the CAB could not pass in the Rajya Sabha, our sentiment is that we have fought these few days against this Bill so we are successful and got the victory finally. The government in many ways tried to pass this Bill but the people of north-eastern states and people’s representatives like MPs and MLAs are all against this Bill. So ultimately the government could not pass this Bill and we are very much happy.”
He added that on February 18 next, MACAB is going to organize a victory rally in capital Agartala.
Meantime, former Member of the Legislative Assembly and NCT supremo Animesh Debbarma said, “This Bill could have created a lot of problem in the entire north-eastern region. Because you know that Tripura is already an over-populous state and already infiltrators are here, many people have migrated even after 1971 so we have been protesting against this Bill to save the country, entire north-eastern states and also our state. Right from the beginning, we have been appealing to the people who want to save this state please come and join us. The question of BJP coming back to power and again they might try to pass the Bill in the Rajya Sabha in the second tenure. We want to tell the people we should be careful about it, organize more rallies and ensure BJP does not come back to power because if BJP come back to power they might again try to pass the Bill once again. So our aim will be how to stop BJP and we at MACAB will sit and chalk out our election strategy as well.”
Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishor Debbarman led the MACAB that organised a series of protests at Khumulwng in West Tripura, Khowai districts and Dhalai district’s Chawmanu.
Earlier in the day, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb during a press conference in the secretariat said that the Citizenship Bill was politicised by certain people who were spreading confusion and misleading others.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public address in Guwahati on February 10 last, Deb hinted that if the Centre even pass the CAB in both the Houses also its implementation in any state will depend on the wish of that state government.