Sweeping powers to Assam Rifles is to oppress people movement in North East: NESO

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 22, 2019

SHILLONG: The Centre decision to give sweeping powers to the Assam Rifles is to oppress any people movement in the near future if the BJP brings back the Citizenship Amendment Bill after the Lok Sabha Election, according to North East Students Organization (NESO) Chairman Samuel B Jyrwa and Secretary General SP Singh.

In a communiqué to the press, the NESO comprising  Khasi  Students’  Union  (KSU),  All  Assam  Students’  Union  (AASU),  Naga  Students’  Federation  (NSF),  Mizo  Zirlai  Pawl  (MZP),  Twipra  Students’  Federation  (TSF),  All  Manipur  Students’  Union  (AMSU),  Garo  Students’  Union  (GSU)  and  All  Arunachal  Pradesh  Students’ Union  (AAPSU) expressed concern to the notification issued by Ministry of Home Affairs where Assam Rifles can arrest anyone, search any place without any warrant in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

Jyrwa and Singh strongly condemns such unwarranted action on the part of the central government and this can be termed as ‘state sponsored oppression’ which further proves of the attitude that the BJP led Central Government has towards the indigenous peoples of the North East.

The top NESO leaders felt this move by the Central Government is connected to the inability of the GOI to table the CAB in the just concluded session of the Rajya Sabha due to the peoples movement, or to put in place the Assam Rifles personnel to oppress any peoples movement in the near future if the BJP brings back the CAB after the Lok Sabha Election.

They said that central government is never satisfied to subject the indigenous peoples of the North East to untold misery and suffering through AFSPA which has been in imposition for decades but more and more draconian measures are being imposed just like this Notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Jyrwa and Singh also said that this unprovoked move by centre can be termed as downright tyranny on the indigenous peoples of the North East and NESO calls upon all the indigenous peoples to be united, alert and to rise to the occasion in the event of any eventuality.