Northeast States to fight unitedly against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: North East Students’ Organization (NESO)

Northeast States to fight unitedly against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: North East Students’ Organization (NESO)

Besides Tripura, indigenous people in Assam and other NE States will become

minorities if the present trend of dumping Bangladeshis in the region is not stopped, says NESO adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya

Leaders and supporters of eight influential students’ organizations of the Northeast assembled in the city here on Tuesday from different parts of the region to stage protest against the Centre’s move to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Parliament.

The protestors who hit the streets under the banner of North East Students’ Organization (NESO) warned the Centre that the people of the region would lose their tolerance and resort to massive agitation never seen before, in case the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed.

Addressing the protestors the NESO vice president Upendra Deb Barman said the indigenous people of Tripura have already become minority on their homeland due to illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis to the State since the country’s independence due to wrong policy of the Centre to tackle such migration from the neighbouring country.

“Out of 40 lakh population in Tripura only 10 lakh are indigenous people. The rest of population comprise illegal infiltrators. The situation has come to such a pass that Tripura has now a Bangladeshi chief minister,” Barman, who is also the advisor of Twipra Students’ Federation, said. He alleged that the ruling BJP is now only interested in vote bank politics.

NESO secretary general Sinam Prakash Singh, while speaking on the occasion, said the illegal Bangladeshi migration no longer remains an issue for Assam and Tripura, but becomes a threat to all NE States. “The Centre has perceived the Northeast as a dumping ground of Bangladeshis. But we will not let it happen. Today’s protest is symbol of unity of the entire NE against illegal Bangladeshis,” Singh said.

AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath asked the Assam Government to follow its counterpart in Meghalaya by adopting a Cabinet resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. AASU general secretary Lurin Jyoti Gogoi, on the other hand, said the BJP and other political parties are making Assam into a gazing ground for Bangladeshis for vote bank politics.

NESO advisor Dr Samujjal Bhattacharjya said Tripura is not alone. All States of the region are with Tripura, he said. The indigenous people in Assam and other States in the region will become minorities if the present trend of dumping Bangladeshis in the region is not stopped, he said.

Alam Daime, leader of Naga Students’ Federation said the Centre is trying to bring guests (Bangladeshis) without asking the hosts (NE States).

Noted lawyer and activist Arup Borbora while addressing the protestors, warned the Centre that volcanoes of anger, resentment and frustration of the people of NE will burn the entire country if the Citizenship Bill is passed.

Besides the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 the NESO also demanded the Centre to immediately withdraw the Foreigners (Amendment) Order, 2015; the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Rules, 2015 and the proposed long-term visas to people from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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