New Delhi, Dec 1 (TIWN) Reiterating its strong opposition to the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the North East Students' Organisation (NESO) has made four demands before Home Minister Amit Shah to protect different indigenous communities across the Northeastern states.

 The NESO made its representation before Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, and demanded implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in all the Northeastern States with a base year that might differ depending upon the unique history of each State, Constitutional safeguards with rights over land and natural resources among others. The NESO reiterated its stand against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) on the ground that it is against the interests of the indigenous people. 

The NESO expressed the view that due to the influx of refugees from Bangladesh during and after the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, at least 11 districts of Assam out of 24 are now dominated by non-indigenous people.  The Centre has to take into account the abnormal decadal population growth of 27.8 per cent in the 2011 census, which can be attributed to the unabated influx of people from Bangladesh, it said. The CAB will also nullify the Assam Accord of 1985. The Bill will only add to the influx problem and ultimately the indigenous populace will become minorities in their own land. 

Even though the Centre has assured that the northeastern States having protective laws and Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873 and the Sixth Schedule would not be affected by the CAB, yet the NESO said the Centre should take the entire region as one whole block. If some States are affected as a result of CAB, then the others will also be affected later.  The other constituents of NESO which have met Shah include Mizo Zirlai Pawl, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union, Khasi Students’ Union and Garo Students’ Union. NESO leaders of Manipur were not invited to the meeting, which the organisation termed as a gross injustice to the indigenous people of Manipur.