Meghalaya's opposition Voice of the Peoples’ Party opposes CAA

Opposition Voice of the Peoples’ Party (VPP) on Monday said it is opposed to the Citizenship Amendment Act which will be implemented in pockets of Meghalaya, which are not under the Sixth Schedule.

The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution contains provisions on the administration of tribal areas in four northeastern states – Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. It provides for the administration of certain tribal areas as autonomous entities. Almost the entire geographical area of Meghalaya is under the Sixth Schedule.

“Our opposition continues to CAA being implemented in areas of Meghalaya which are not under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. We vehemently oppose any such imposition from Delhi against the sentiment of our people,” VPP chief Ardent Basaiawmoit told PTI.

Several citizen groups and civil society organisations will hold meetings in Shillong on Tuesday to chart out their protest.

Also Read: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma chairs NPP meeting for upcoming Lok Sabha elections

Passed in December 2019 by the Parliament, the CAA grants Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who arrived in India till December 31, 2014. Its rules are notified during the day.

Assam and several other northeastern states witnessed widespread protests after the BJP-led government at the Centre moved towards amending the Citizenship Act in 2019.

A section of the people of the region were scared that if the CAA is implemented, it would endanger their identity and livelihood.

In an interview to PTI last month, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that concerns of Meghalaya over the CAA have been addressed as most areas of the state come under the Sixth Schedule which are exempted from the citizenship law.

Sangma who also heads the National People’s Party (NPP) however, expressed concern over the “spillover effect” in the state if the CAA is implemented and stressed the requirement for an Inner Line Permit (ILP), which will restrict entry of outsiders.

The ILP is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.

The state government had also passed a resolution to extend the ILP to the State in December 2019.