Dimapur, Jan. 13 (EMN): The NPF legislature party on Sunday issued a statement in response to the comments made Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio during his speech at the Poanglüm mini Hornbill festival at Tuensang on Jan. 12.
“On the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, it is totally wrong and misleading on the part of Neiphiu Rio to declare that ‘Nagas and Nagaland are protected under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873 and the Inner Line Permit regulations.’ First, Neiphiu Rio placed his hope on Article 371 A and today it is on Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873. One can only wonder what next he would rely on when it comes to the people of Nagaland vis-a-vis the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill,” read a statement from the spokesperson of the NPF legislature party, Imkong L Imchen.
“The Inner Line Permit (ILP) derived from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873 also known as Regulation 5 of 1873 is in operation in Nagaland but does not protect the Nagas, their identity and interest in the way Neiphiu Rio makes it appear to be. Rio must educate himself on the difference between acquiring citizenship of a particular country and obtaining permission for access to a particular region of the country. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 to provide ‘citizenship’ to illegal migrants whereas the ILP only provides ‘access’ to outsiders for inward travel into Nagaland.
“The commercial hub of the state, Dimapur, is not under the ambit of the ILP regulations and undocumented immigrants, especially IBIs, have flooded the district which is known to all the citizens of Nagaland. Not only Dimapur, illegal immigrants have infiltrated even the most interior part of the state while the chief minister and his government continue to rely on unconfirmed hypothesis such as protection under Article 371 (A), BEFR 1873, ILP regulations, etc.,” the statement read.
It went on to claim that states “are not directly intimated when a draft is proposed for introduction in the Parliament but as the lone MP representing Nagaland in the Lok Sabha, Neiphiu Rio should have educated the people of the state he represented when draft for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill came up for introduction in July 2016.”
According to the opposition’s legislators, “calling upon the Centre to review the Bill is a humiliation and insult to the intelligence of the Nagas” when the sitting Lok Sabha MP, Tokheho Yepthomi of the NDPP has already supported the passing of the Bill in the Lok Sabha Jan. 8.
“What is to be noted is the fact that the draft Bill of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was introduced in July, 2016 when Neiphiu Rio was the lone MP representing Nagaland in the Lok Sabha and passed when Tokheho Yepthomi of the NDPP party represented the state. Ironically, today Neiphiu Rio is trying to shift the blame to the NPF party. Such is the nature of Neiphiu Rio.
“Till date, no reply has been given to the leader of opposition, TR Zeliang who had sought clarification from the chief minister Neiphiu Rio through letter dated 16th July, 2018. Furthermore, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was listed by the Assembly Secretariat for discussion on the floor of the House as requested by NPF MLAs which however was denied time by the speaker, Vikho-o-Yoshü (sic),” it stated.
Today, it stated, Rio was of the opinion that the Bill has not been passed in the Rajya Sabha yet “and that there is still time to review the Bill but the truth is that the NDA do not command a sufficient majority to pass the same in the Upper House.”
“The state cabinet decision of both 5th June 2018 and 7th Jan. 2019 were taken out of compulsion to gratify the NDA government at the cost of the Naga people. As such, on the resolution of the state cabinet to discuss the matter with all political parties in the state, the NPF legislature party declare that it will not be a party to such unintelligent proposition at any cost,” the statement read.
