Protests against Citizenship Bill in Meghalaya

Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill got louder in Meghalaya on Friday with three pressure groups burning the effigies of the NDA government and the legislation.

In Shillong, activists of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and Ri-Bhoi Youth Front (RBYF) assembled at Khyndai-Lad observing the 'black flag day' besides chanting anti-Modi slogans and demanding 'Bangladeshis go back.'

Senior United Democratic Party (UDP) leaders, including former Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh and Allantry Franklin Dkhar, the political advisor to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma attended the protest rally.

The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress burned the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in front of the BJP office at Tura in West Garo Hills district demanding scrapping of the controversial Bill

A brief argument erupted when a police officer took out the black flags tied on the railings surrounding the fountain by the protestors. But the matter was resolved with the quick intervention of district administration officials.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha, aims to remove hurdles for eligible migrants of six minority groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan from getting Indian citizenship.

"We strongly demand the Bill be scrapped immediately in the interest of the indigenous communities across northeastern states," FKJGP president Wellbirth Rani told journalists.

Noting that persecuted Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will not flee to India as Indian Christians themselves are facing persecution, Rani said, "The Bill is BJP's political agenda."

Supporting the agitators, the political advisor to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Dkhar said, the state government has been opposing the Bill from day one as it does not protect the people of the region.

--IANS

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