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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Feb. 11 (EMN): District units of the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) in Nagaland protested the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on February 11 questioning the purpose of the legislation.
In Kohima, the secretary-general of the NPF, Achumbemo Kikon, addressed the NPF’s sit-in protest against CAA that was held on February 11 in Kohima.
Post-CAA, the BJP lost various elections including the recent Delhi elections; the results prove “their (BJP) writing on the wall is clear that people reject CAA, that people don’t endorse the policies and programmes of the BJP.” In a way it will be “a referendum against CAA,” Kikon declared.
After passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, now CAA, five states namely Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh have passed resolutions against the legislation in their assemblies, Kikon said.
The motive of the CAA itself is “wrong” as it is an attempt to let in foreigners to India particularly Northeast region, for the region still has large portions of areas unoccupied, Kikon said.
‘If we remain a mute spectator today, tomorrow another harsher law is coming before you that is Uniform Civil Code,’ Kikon said and urged the people to carefully study the Act.
While wondering about their ‘silence’ on the issue, the party’s secretary-general appealed to the Naga people particularly the church and the students’ organisations to come forward and speak out against the Act. He challenged the people to know where do “we stand,” adding “we will become lost in our own land” in the future.
Kikon also referred to the intention of the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He said such exercises are to “strike off” the citizenship rights of indigenous peoples and minority communities. “This is an attempt which the government is doing,” he remarked and called upon right-thinking people to stand against it.
The exercise is to increase the population and to make a “support base for them (BJP),” he added.
Wokha
Our Correspondent
The Wokha unit of the NPF also held on Tuesday a ‘Dharna’ at the police point in Wokha town to protest the CAA.
Speaking during the occasion, the NPF’s vice president Tsumongo Ovung lamented the Citizenship Act. He spoke about the threat that the people will experience.
He told the gathering that the NPF will continue to oppose the legislation. He urged all right-thinking citizens and organisations to discuss the issue at length to oppose the CAA for the younger generation. He spoke about being blamed in the future for mistakes committed in the present times.
Also, legislator Dr. Chumben Murry explained that the ILP (BEFRA) 1873, as well as the provisions of 371 (A) article of the Indian Constitution, are no protection. He urged the gathering to stand up and oppose the CAA unconditionally and without reservation, stating that it holds a bigger threat for the younger generation.
Phek
Members of the Phek division of the NPF also staged a peaceful sit-in protest in Phek town.
According to a press release that was received here, in accordance with the directive of the NPF command, the NPF unit organised the protest in Phek town on February 11 against the CAA.
The meeting was addressed by Thenucho Tunyi, working president of the central NPF. He said that ‘as a Christian state we should oppose the CAA which is against the principle of religious rights,’ the press release stated.
The Inner Line Permit cannot guarantee to stop the entry of illegal immigrants as the system had been there even in the past but successive governments could not implement it effectively, he said.
Tunyi appealed to the people of Nagaland to oppose the CAA ‘as it was the policy of the BJP to impose “one nation one religion and one government” which is against the ethos of Christians.’
The NPF is the only party to protect the Naga people, he claimed. He affirmed that the NPF party will continue to oppose the CAA tooth and nail.
Besides resolving to oppose the legislation, the Phek NPF also resolved to organise protests at all its unit levels.
Zunheboto
A press release stating a similar event in Zunheboto district too was received here. A public protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act was conducted by the Zünheboto NPF with the rest of other districts. It organised a sit-in protest against the CAA at the center point in Zünheboto, the press release stated.
“The public turnout was huge in numbers with different civil organisations making their presence felt by voicing out their concern and eminent danger CAA posed on the indigenous people and nation in general,” the press release stated.
The silence of civil organisations concerning the CAA was questioned, the press release stated.