Manipur body warns of agitation if Citizenship Bill reintroduced in Parliament

Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, convenor MANPAC, said they will never allow the contentious bill to be passed without the consent of people.

Concerned about the possible reintroduction of contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill during the monsoon session of 17th Lok Sabha, Manipur People Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MANPAC) reaffirmed its stand to put up resistance collectively with other northeastern states if the Bill is legislated.

MANPAC also issued a warning to launch various forms of intense agitations if the Bill is reintroduced in the Parliament.

MANPAC is an umbrella body of several civil bodies operating in Manipur, who spearheaded the protest against the passing of citizenship Bill last year.

Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, convenor MANPAC, said they will never allow the contentious bill to be passed without the consent of people. MANPAC never believed what the BJP promised in its manifesto that the Bill will not affect the unique linguistic, cultural and social values of the northeastern people, he added.

Although the BJP won the 17th Lok Sabha election with thumping victory in some of the states with Citizen Ammendment Bill as one of its main poll agenda, he contended that the Bill is disastrous for the region, particularly Manipur, and (Bill) could wipe out indigenous communities.

A constituent body of North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP), MANPAC endorses the resolution of the NEFIP meeting held on April 30 at Shillong, to collectively fight with other northeastern states to determine their own future if the Bill is legislated, said the MANPAC convenor.

Ningthouja Lancha, NEFIP convenor and MANPAC co-convenor, intimated that NEFIP along with its constituent organisations has reiterated the resolution to determine their own future if the controversial bill is legislated.

Lancha alleged that mainland India has been waging a ‘bio-political’ war with its racist policies against the indigenous people of northeast. Nevertheless, the northeast as a whole is also prepared to carry out a mass resistance movement against such racist policies, he cautioned.

Source: Read Full Article