KOHIMA
: Opposition
Naga People's Front
(
NPF) has opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, saying that the Naga people would become the "most victimized" group if the bill were passed in Parliament. The party also questioned the ruling coalition's silence on the matter.
"We strongly oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and demand a response from the ruling People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) about its silence on the crucial issue," NPF spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon told the media here on Saturday. PDA comprises the Neiphiu Rio-led Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP, which introduced the bill.
"Protection of identity means protection from influx - particularly of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. This is disturbing the demographic trend of the Naga people," Kikon said. "The government of the day will not hesitate to push these people to the northeast, especially now that they have captured Tripura and Assam. It would make the Naga people the most victimized community," Kikon added. NPF had been BJP's ally for years, before the saffron party chose to form an alliance with NDPP instead.
Referring to the recent protest against the bill by the Naga Students' Federation in front of the Raj Bhavan, Kikon said, "Neither the governor nor the chief minister has made any comment on the issue so far. This shows they are not sincere about the rights of the people of
Nagaland
, which will be under threat if the bill were passed."
Start a Conversation
Post comment