Newmai News Network
Aizawl | December 16
Mizoram Chief Minister and Mizo National Front (MNF) president Zoramthanga on Monday said his party had instructed lone Mizoram’s Lok Sabha member C. Lalrosanga to vote in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by the Parliament last week.
Zoramthanga's clarification came at a time when certain youth groups are protesting against the amended law and people are not happy with the ruling MNF and C. Lalrosanga for voting in favour of the bill in the Parliament.
Addressing the Exodus Day of the MNF at the party office here, Zoramthanga said all political parties, civil society groups and churches vociferously opposed the Citizenship Bill before it became an act, and demanded that Mizoram be exempted from the purview of the bill.
“We suggested our MP to vote in favour of the bill as the Centre has fulfilled our demands to exempt Mizoram from the ambit of the bill,” Zoramthanga said.
He also said that representatives of all political parties and NGOs met Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Mizoram and told him that the people of the state strongly opposed to bill.
“I personally met both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and urged them to exempt Mizoram from the ambit of the bill,” the chief minister further said.
He then said that initially they were not fully convinced with the Home Minister’s comment that the government would take measures not to affect Mizoram, as the draft bill was yet to be tabled in the Parliament then. Later, the Centre exempted the Inner Line areas and Sixth Scheduled areas of the Northeast from the purview of the bill, he also said.
“It is wrong and immature to oppose to the amended Citizenship law after the Centre agreed with and fulfilled the demands and aspirations of the Mizos,” Zoramthanga added.
Meanwhile, a group of youths on Monday staged a sit-in demonstration to register their protest against the amended citizenship law near the MNF office here.
The protesters blamed the MNF led state government and C. Lalrosanga for voting in favour of the new law, and demanded the MP’s resignation.
C. Lalrosanga, who is the lone Lok Sabha member from Mizoram, belongs to the ruling MNF.
