Mizo Organizations to Oppose Amit Shah’s Visit to Discuss Citizenship Bill

Aizawl, September 30, 2019:

Mizo organizations have announced to oppose Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to discuss the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Mizoram on October 5.

Amit Shah has scheduled his visit to the state capital, Aizawl and students’ bodies, and civil society groups have declared to observe the day of Shah’s visit wearing black dresses, and wave black flags.

Also Read: Repatriation of 4,400 Bru Families to Commence from October 3

The Mizo organizations said that they would oppose any means of force that will promote the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Speaking with Inside Northeast, People’s Right to Information and Development Implementation Society of Mizoram (PRISM), President, Vanlalruata said, “We oppose the Citizenship Bill. We all, including political parties, will try to emphasize opposition during Amit Shah’s visit. We will wear black clothes, wave black flags.”

It may be mentioned that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was proposed in the Lok Sabha on July 19, 2016, amending the Citizenship Act of 1955. The Bill if implemented, illegal migrants from minority communities like Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian hailing from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan will be eligible for Indian citizenship. It excludes people from the Muslim community.

Also Read: Assam to Set Up 200 Additional Foreigners’ Tribunals to Address NRC Appeals

The Bill, additionally, relaxes the requirement of residence in India from 11 years to 6 years for these migrants. It has created a panic situation in all the North-Eastern states of India and the indigenous people have expressed fear of losing their identity, language and culture in their own land.

Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.