Citizenship Amendment Bill turned into ‘propaganda tool’— Yepthomi

Dimapur, May 25 (EMN): Responding to criticisms of his statement on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), Lok Sabha member Tokheho Yepthomi has stated that the Bill has been misconstrued and turned into a “propaganda tool.”

The MP issued statement on Saturday citing the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on CAB, 2016. The JPC was formed by 20 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members; and had 14 sittings where it collected evidence from representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice and Ministry of External Affairs.

During its sittings, he said, the committee queried about the number of persons belonging to minority communities who would benefit from the proposed amendment on the basis of religious persecution.

He cited the Intelligence Bureau’s response: “As per our records, there are 31,313 persons belonging to minority communities (Hindus-25447, Sikhs-5807, Christians-55, Buddhists-2 and Parsis-2) who have been given long term visa on the basis of their claim of religious persecution in their respective countries and want Indian citizenship. Hence, these persons will be immediate beneficiaries.”

On the fate of other people belonging to minority communities who have come to India from the three countries under reference due to religious persecution but have not declared so at the time of their arrival in India, the Intelligence Bureau stated: “For others to apply for Indian citizenship under this category, they will have to prove that they came to India due to religious persecution. If they have not declared so at the time of their arrival in India, it would be difficult for them to make such a claim now. Any future claim will be enquired into, including through RAW before a decision is taken.”

Yepthomi said that two Congress MPs—Bhubaneswar Kalita from Rajya Sabha and Sushmita Dev from Lok Sabha—were also members of the committee. “The NPCC president may ask for the details of CAB drafts presented from his party colleagues Kalita and Sushmita, Congress MPs,” Yepthomi suggested.

He said that “people who have twisted and propagated that the CAB will allow crores of refugees from neighbouring countries into the Northeast” should try to comprehend the ramifications of their “false notion.” The parliament will only act within the proposed draft submitted by the empowered committee, Yepthomi said.

Congress and NPF did not participate in the consultative meeting called by the state government with all legislators, civil societies to discuss the CAA issue, he reminded. “There is no way that ‘crores’ of people will be given Indian Citizenship like the NPCC President presumes once the CAB is passed.

“I urge the NPCC president to kindly not speculate and misguide the Naga people as to what will happen in a decade without ascertaining the facts. As long as Nagaland State has Article 371A, no outsiders can come and stay in our houses and lands without giving them the right to do so.”

ANCSU warns of ‘ugly retaliations’

The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) issued a statement on Saturday it was “extensively disturbed by the treacherous Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016.” It stated that the Bill was an “immeasurable threat to the existence of Nagas.”

It stated that though various political leaders “have unwisely spoken in favor of CAB, it is clear to the young minds of the state that this Bill is catastrophe to the integrity of Nagas.”

According to the ANCSU, “some egoistical political leaders have taken the advantage even to the extent of betraying the mandate of the youths” to compromise the safety of the Nagas.

“Soon after the CAB was proposed, the Naga Students’ Federation has also voiced out its opposition to the bill and the ANCSU fervently supported the movement. The ANCSU being a mandated students’ organisation appeals its leaders to be the mouthpiece of Naga aspirations and not a demon (sic) to Nagas. ANCSU also appeal any political or social leaders to restrain from misleading the Nagas which may favour the CAB in action or otherwise as it may invite ugly retaliations towards any such betrayal,” it stated.