Mizoram, Manipur join protest against Citizenship billAIZAWL, May 21: Joining their counterparts across North East, Mizoram’s apex students’ body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) staged a sit-in protest against the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill here today. About 500 activists, with banners and placards in hand, raised slogans against Citizenship Amendment Bill, demanding the Centre to immediately withdraw the Bill. 

The MZP also appealed to people to join them in their protest against the Bill. Speaking at the sit-in organised in front of Vanapa Hall here, MZP president L Ramdinliana Renthlei said, “The proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill, if passed in the Parliament, will pose a serious threat to the indigenous people of NE and Mizoram. It will open a wide door for social assimilation to the people, who are already facing such threats from Bangladesh.” He said all civil society groups in Mizoram are opposed to the proposed Bill and have submitted a joint memorandum to the Centre, but to no avail. He stressed the need for the State legislators to come forward in unison and pass a legislation against the Bill. 


MZP president further said the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 refused to visit Mizoram. “The JPC visited NE on May 10. It had ignored our (joint NGOs) prayer to visit Mizoram. If the Bill is passed without consulting the people of Mizoram, it means that the Centre does not consider Mizoram as part of India,” Renthlei said. 


Imphal Correspondent adds: A sit-in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was held under the aegis of All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) here on Monday. AMSU, a constituent body of North East Students Organisation (NESO) which had termed the Bill unconstitutional and not acceptable as the identity of the indigenous people was at stake, also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister N Biren Singh and urged him to oppose the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. 

Recently, a NESO delegation including representatives of AMSU attended the Joint Parliamentary Committee hearing at Shillong on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and expressed its reservations against the Bill. Opposition Manipur People’s Party (MPP) had strongly condemned the move of NDA Government on formation of JPC on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 while Manipur and Assam are struggling for implementation of indigenous people protection Act.-Assam Tribune

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