‘CAB is a threat to the fragile indigeneity of North East states’
Citizens from different walks of life marched against the controversial CAB 2016 in Kohima on October 3. (Morung Photo)
Silent protest march in Kohima against controversial Bill; CM urged to take up issue with central leadership
Morung Express News
Kohima | October 3
In a silent protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, denizens of Kohima under the umbrella of various tribal bodies and civil society organizations today marched to the Nagaland Chief Minister's residence following a gathering outside TT stadium, Raj Bhavan, Kohima.
Initiated by the Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) under the banner of the North East Forum of Indigenous People (NEFIP), the protest on October 3 was held simultaneously with the rest of the states in the North East. A representation alongside the previous memorandum sent to the Prime Minister of India was handed over to the Chief Minister.
Drawing attention to the dangers of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), Theja Therie, Vice President, NEFIP expressed that India and Nagaland will not be the same anymore once the Bill is passed. "In the name of religious persecution, the Government of India is giving the legitimacy for foreigners to become citizens. Why should we be polarised on religious grounds? Why should we be classified in ethnicity?" Therie questioned.
In this context, he said it is the responsibility for every citizen to stand together and voice their concern for 'what is good for us and what is not good for us.'
Therie also rued over the failure of the Chief Ministers of all the North East States to come together for a common cause against the CAB. "There has not been a single occasion where the NE CMs have come together on their own. They come together only when the PM or Home Minister come. They will come together because they want to be in the good books of Delhi. But at no point of time have they come together for a common cause!" lamented Therie.
While the elected leaders put their focus on Delhi, Therie pointed out that the people in the Northeast are living in isolation from each other. "People (in the Northeast) are not connected socially, economically and culturally and we are all living in isolation. We are all looking at Delhi but we fail to look at each other,” asserted Therie, adding that one of the aspirations of the newly formed NEFIP is to bring NE people closer together.
Therie also emphasized on the marginalization of the North East and it's elected members even in the parliament session. "How insignificant are we, how helpless are we because we are divided. We are helpless because we are in isolation,” stated the activist urging for all NE people and its leaders to unite.
Extending solidarity and voicing concerns over the CAB, various organisations such as the ENPO Kohima, Ao Union Kohima, Kohima GB Federation expressed that the imposition of the CAB will threaten the fragile indigeneity of the North East States.
In the representation addressed to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, the NEFIP requested Rio to endorse the aspiration of his electorate on the issue of the CAB. "Violence had erupted on this issue in the region a number of times and as responsible citizens, we do not want violence to happen again. It is therefore our sincere request to you to keep in the loop any action initiated from your end in this regard so that the people and the elected leaders go side by side on this issue,” stated the representation.
It further requested the Government of Nagaland to "take up with the Central leadership to respect the sentiments of the people in the region in general and the State of Nagaland in particular and to withdraw the contentious bill in the interest of peace and harmony."
The NEFIP had previously mentioned the contemplation of the ruling party at the Centre to table the CAB in the winter session. It reiterated for the need of all elected leaders of the region to express solidarity and stop the bill as it will 'destroy our fundamentals' and threatened the very existence of the indigenous NE people.
