Nagas fully protected under new citizenship law: Neiphiu Rio

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday said that Nagas are "fully protected" under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Rio, addressing a gathering of students here, said Naga leaders, including civil societies, NGOs, student leaders and political parties were called to Delhi for discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the passage of the bill.

The chief minister said Shah had assured leaders from the state that it will be "exempted along with the 6th schedule tribal states, and when the Bill is introduced in Parliament, it will be inserted in the master copy".

"We sympathise with those people who have the fear of CAA, but for us, we feel that we are fully protected now," Rio said.

On the decades-old Naga political issue, the CM said "every negotiation point has been discussed and now the ball is in our court".

"Our Naga underground brothers and factions should come together while all the civil societies, mass-based tribal and public leaders should help to unite the Nagas, otherwise we will miss the golden opportunity again and continue to suffer," Rio said.