NESO threatens agitation against amendment to Citizenship Act

North East Students Organisation, an umbrella body of prominent students groups of the region, today threatened widespread protests if the proposed amendment of the Citizenship Act 1955 is not withdrawn by the Centre.
"NESO cannot allow this Bill to be passed and the government of India should rethink.
"If it (the bill) is not withdrawn NESO will launch protests across the region and create problems for the government," NESO Secretary General Sinam Prakash Singh told a press conference here.
Claiming that around 90,000 illegal migrants enter the region every year from Bangladesh, he said the Centre is acting against the interest of north east while different organisations are working on for detection and deportation of infiltrators.

NESO Chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said, "The government should do away with the Bill and take steps to stop infiltration by installing proper mechanism.
"They should bring in constitutional safeguards for indigenous people of North East," he added.

The BJP-led government at the Centre, Jyrwa said, is planning to give citizenship to Hindu migrants and this will burden the north east and make the indigenous communities minorities.
NESO Advisor Samujjwal Bhattacharya said the proposed amendment is a threat to the identity of local people and wondered whether the Centre was actually encouraging illegal infiltration through it.
"In his visit to Bangladesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said good governance is there in that country. If that is so and our external affairs policy is strong, then the Indian government should ensure protection of Hindus in the neighbouring country," he said.

"If any Hindu has problem in Bangladesh, then they can come to stay in India and they will be given citizenship here. So are you (Centre) encouraging illegal infiltration?" he asked.
Bhattacharya also appealed political parties of North East to oppose the bill saying it violates the fundamentals of Assam Accord, on whose basis National Register of Citizens is being updated with 1971 as base year.
"Since Independence, North East has been subjected to economic exploitation and political injustice. This latest bill is another example of political injustice. The Centre is treating us as second class citizens," he added.
Bhattacharya warned the Centre of "rigorous movements" across North East if the Bill is not withdrawn immediately.