DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 29 (MExN): Nagaland MP to the Rajya Sabha, KG Kenye has stated that his decision to support the Citizenship Amendment Act in Parliament was driven by his belief that the Union Government’s “last minute rectification” to the CAB made on December 9 gives the State of Nagaland “full proof protection under the Constitution of India.”
This he stated in reply to the show cause notice issued to the MP by the Naga People’s Front for violating the party’s resolution with his support to the Act.
Kenye acknowledged that the NPF had opposed the CAA as it “did not address the strength or weakness of the ILP currently covering and operating in Nagaland which remains highly dangerous.” He however stated that the Union Government “finally yielded to our pressure and rectified the old 2016 Amendment Bill and incorporated an entire section to the new redrafted Amendment Bill.”
“This was a last minute arrangement by the Government of India and so I had no chance to explain to the party due to the paucity of time and the distance between us,” the MP claimed.
Kenye stated that therefore he exercised his discretion “which is vested in me for times of exigencies and emergencies as the parliamentary leader of the NPF in the Parliament of India and so decided to support the CAB/CAA on December 9.”
The MP further stated that on return to the state from New Delhi, NPF President Dr Shurhozelie Liezetsu “flatly refused an audience or convene any meeting of the party for me to explain the background involving the matter.”
Listing out his reasons for supporting the bill, the Nagaland MP stated that the rectified Amendment incorporating the ILP (BEFRA 1873) has now mandatorily bound all Indian citizens (whether natural or acquired) under “restrictions” of the principle Citizenship Act 1955 after 64 years.
He further stated that the ILP is “permanent now and the validity cannot be challenged in any court as the same has been now incorporated by an enactment of Parliament.” Kenye added that this has given “immunity to the continuity of the ILP-BEFRA 1873” against any government notification (Union Cabinet decision).
The Nagaland MP meanwhile stated that Article 371 A is “deficient and has fallen short to check the infiltration of any foreigner, illegal immigrant or any Indian citizen (non Naga).”
“The growth of population in India whether by birth or other means will continue to increase and cannot be stopped. Hence for the State of Nagaland, the only means to check the influx of non Nagas into our state is to strictly enforce the ILP wherein the state government has been vested with sweeping powers in the latest amendment to the Principle Citizenship Amendment Bill,” Kenye said.
