Aizawl, Dec. 17 (IANS): Ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) President and Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that the MNF and the state government support the new Citizenship Act as the central government kept out Mizoram from the purview of the amended legislation.
“Political parties, NGOs, youth and student organisations, civil societies besides churches had vociferously opposed the new law and demanded that Mizoram be exempted from the purview of this Act,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the party men in the state party headquarters in Aizawl late on Monday evening.
Zoramthanga said that he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this month and requested them to exempt Mizoram from the domain of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. The MNF is a constituent of Bharatiya Janata Party-floated grouping of non-Congress body, North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
However, some local groups including Zoram Revolution Movement are intermittently organising demonstrations in Mizoram against the CAA.
According to the provisions of the new Act, the law will not be applicable in the 10 Tribal Autonomous District Council (TADC) areas of the northeast - Assam (3 TADC), Meghalaya (3 TADC), Mizoram (3 TADC) and Tripura (1 TADC).
Also, the new legislation on citizenship would not be executed in three northeastern states - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram -- where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime is applicable.
The ten TADCs are constituted under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution while the ILP notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited and stipulated period.