KSU-GSU stages protest against CAB in Shillong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 18, 2019

SHILLONG: Activists of different social organizations on Monday joined the sit-in-demonstration held in the city to protest against the move of the Centre to implement the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).

Organized by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and Garo Students’ Union (GSU) as part of the North-east wide protest called by the North East Students’ Organization (NESO), the sit-in-demonstration was held at the parking lot near the Additional Secretariat amid tight security.

A memorandum to the Prime Minister and Union Minister of Home Affairs was also submitted through the Governor against the contentious CAB which they said will have a “negative impact” on the people of the entire north east region.

During the protest, activists also shouted slogans against the BJP-led NDA government while displaying placards which read- “Stop divide & rule policy”, “NE is not a dumping ground”, “We will stand against all odds”, “CAB threats to democracy”, “Respect NE identity”, “Bangladeshis go back”, “honour secularism not communalism” among others.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the protest, NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa said the sit-in-protest is to show our strong opposition against the intended Bill that the Centre is planning to bring in this winter session of the parliament.

“This is the first phase of our agitation. We are against the CAB since 2016 as it is anti-indigenous, unconstitutional and it also determines the citizenship of a person based on religion,” he said.

Jyrwa added, “If the Centre allows people from Bangladesh to cross over either legally or illegally into India to be granted Indian citizenship then the people of North East region will become minority in their own land.”

He said the NESO will keep on pressurizing the Centre to respect the sentiments and the interest of the microscopic indigenous communities of the NE region.

Asked whether the NESO welcome the demand for exempting the region from the CAB, Jyrwa however said, “We are just saying that we are against the Bill, it’s for the Centre to come out on how they plan to go about with this Bill and how the interest of the indigenous people can be protected and can be saved then we will see.”

He also appeal to the chief ministers of the NE states and political parties including those in the mainland India to look at the CAB in totality and ensure that it does not affect the interest of the people of the region.

Highlighting the content of the memorandum submitted to the prime minister, the chairman of the NESO said, “We demand the government that instead of bringing the CAB, it should implement the Inner Line Permit in all the NE states and also to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) with a specific cut off year depending on the history and uniqueness of each NE state.”

Earlier, KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said that the peaceful protest should not be mistaken that the NESO is taking a soft stand against the CAB.

“In the coming days, we will intensify our agitations if the government of India still remain adamant. The Centre will have to take full responsibility with regards to the law and order situation in the entire NE region,” he said.

Asked, Thabah said that the union welcomes the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Amendment Ordinance, 2019 approved by the Meghalaya Cabinet but at the same time demand the immediate implementation of the ILP.

“If possible, more acts should be implemented to safeguard and protect the interest of the microscopic population of the NE region,” he stated.