CoMSO stages anti-CAB protest in Shillong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 9, 2019

SHILLONG: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organization (CoMSO) on Monday staged protests against the introduction of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, in the Lok Sabha.

Activists of the CoMSO, a conglomerate of several social organizations, took out a surprise protest infront of the BJP state’s office as they shouted slogans against the BJP-led NDA government.

“We don’t want your communal CAB, we want ILP. No ILP, no rest”, “Respect our identity or leave us alone”, “Ready to die but not ready to accept CAB” – read some of the placards carried by them.

The protest was also to demand the resignation of the Governor, Tathagata Roy for delaying to approve the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 passed recently by the state government to ensure mandatory registration of outsiders visiting the state, and his stand on the CAB.

The protesters were also prevented by the district authorities from marching towards the Governor’s House, which was put under heavy security cover, and were asked to proceed to the parking lot near the additional secretariat.

Later, the protesters dispersed from the parking lot only to assemble again at Motphran area where they continue with their peaceful protest.

Secretary of the CoMSO Roykupar Synrem highlighted the negative impact of the CAB on the miscroscopic indigenous population.

“The CAB will allow the 14 crore Bangladeshis to outnumber the indigenous people in their own homeland,” he said.

Synrem also urged the people of the state to extend their full support and cooperation to the protest called by the NESO on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the CoMSO Robertjune Kharjahrin said that if the Centre assured to implement ILP in Manipur, it should also do the same for Meghalaya.

He said the ILP has been a long pending demand of the people of the state. “The implementation of ILP was also recommended by the high level committee headed by former deputy chief minister Bindo M Lanong,” he said.

Kharjahrin also demanded the Governor to immediately approve the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019.