NESO to stage protest against CAB on Nov 18

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 31, 2019

SHILLONG: The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) has decided to further intensify its resentment against Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) by staging protest demonstrations in all NE state capitals on November 18. 

The decision was taken at the executive council meeting of the NESO held at Guwahati, Assam on Thursday.  Apart from CAB, the meeting has also discussed issues pertaining to NRC, NEEPCO, NRL, ILP, education, economy, employment, mega dams, NESO General Conference, NESO elections, etc. 

“Furthermore, the organisation will submit a memorandum expressing its opposition of the CAB to the Prime Minister and Home Minister of India through the Governors of the respective NE states,” NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said in a statement issued here. 

On the other hand, Jyrwa said although the Central Government has mooted the implementation of NRC on a National scale, yet the NESO are of the opinion that NRC like exercises should be executed state-wise taking into consideration the modalities suitable to the conspicuous aspects of the states. 

The NESO also once again reiterates its demand for overall implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in all NE states. 

On the proposed National Education Policy, Jyrwa said certain sections of the policy were found to be ill-favoured towards the region and the organization strongly resents the emphasis given to the Hindi language and belittling of the English language.

“However it was agreed that an approach for prioritizing local indigenous languages would be a favourable factor for the NE region,” he said. 

Due to the lack of educational institutions especially those imparting professional courses in the region, NESO seeks more packages from the central government for the establishment of Universities, medical, engineering, coaching (civil services, medical, engineering etc.) and management institutions. 

Furthermore, NESO will task itself with the setting up of coaching centres for professional courses. 

Meanwhile, NESO has also expressed strong opposition to the proposed merging of NEEPCO with the central based NHPC and  the government’s plan to sell out the Numaligarh Refinery Limited to private parties.

In this context, seperate memoranda will be send to the Power & Petroleum  Ministries.

NESO also demands  seperate economic and employment policies for the region. With regards to central government sectors located in the NE, the NESO seeks a 100%  job reservation in the group C & D category for indigenous inhabitants. 

The chairman also said that the presence of military and paramilitary forces within educational institutions in Manipur and elsewhere in the region hampers the educational atmosphere, NESO demands the immediate vacation of such forces.

The meeting concludes with the decision that the next General Conference and elction of office bearers of the NESO will be hosted by TSF in Tripura tentatively on the last week of January.