Anti-CAB protests sweep Mizoram, Tripura

Aizawl/Agartala: Massive demonstrations and protest rallies were held in Mizoram and Tripura on Tuesday to protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

In Mizo National Front (MNF)-ruled Mizoram, the powerful Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee (MNCC) held spirited demonstrations in Aizawl and seven other district headquarters to protest against the controversial Bill. Protest rallies were also held in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Tripura over the same issue.

According to the police officials of the two mountainous States, no untoward incidents were reported from any of these two northeastern States. Displaying placards and shouting slogans, the protesters demonstrated in support of their demands till late Tuesday afternoon in all the eight district headquarters of Mizoram, including the capital city Aizawl. Led by influential Young Mizo Association, the MNCC, a conglomerate of major civil societies, student and youth bodies, continued their agitation in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

MNCC chairman Vanlalruata said that despite the protest from almost all political parties and NGOs in the entire northeastern region and other parts of the country, the Union government is keen to pass the bill even in the Rajya Sabha.

Protest rallies, spearheaded by newly-formed Movement Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (MACAB), were also held in some tribal-dominated areas of Tripura on Tuesday. The MACAB is a conglomerate of several NGOs and four tribal-based parties, including Tripura's oldest tribal party Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT).

The Congress is also backing the MACAB.

“Today’s (Tuesday) main protest rally is being held in Jampuijala (in Sepahijala district)...,” INPT general secretary Jagadhish Debbarma told the media. The MACAB and other tribal-based parties, including Tripura BJP’s ally IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura), have also been agitating against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill since January 8. Major political parties, NGOs and civil society groups are strongly opposing the Bill. Once a law, it will have a detrimental effect on the ethnic communities, they feel. (IANS)

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