DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 19 (MExN): The Naga Hoho and the Naga Law Students Federation (NLSF) today expressed their opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
A press release from the Naga Hoho expressed solidarity with organisations and governments in various states opposing the Act. It said that the CAA is “against the general wishes of the people of India and particularly the Northeast and the Naga people.”
It further condemned the “short sighted attitude” of the three Naga MPs for voting in favour of the bill, when the people are sharply opposed to it.
The Naga Hoho stated that the CAA, if implemented, “will empower the Illegal migrants to equate with the bonafideNagas and it will violate the fundamental rights of its citizens.”
“The Act itself is anti-secular, discriminatory, anti-constitution and anti-indigenous people of the Northeast. It is worrisome that, once citizenship is granted to the illegal migrants, the provision of Inner Line Pass (ILP) cannot protect the Nagas, though the Centre had announced exemption on those ILP protected states,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) said that the “stifling of people’s voices through the muzzle of power would only lead to an atmosphere of mistrust among all sections of society.”
It observed that the government seems to be oblivious and indifferent to the pulse of the people which it is supposed to govern keeping in view the people’s welfare; “leaving aside all other vital aspects of democracy, tackling all issues of concern with the myopic self assurance of an electoral mandate.”
It however noted that the people of India, especially the youth, “have stood with the ideals of the founding fathers of our Nation as envisioned and enshrined in the Constitution – India, a Union of equals sans, creed, caste, religion and ethnicity.”
It extended support to people opposing “the idea of an India based on religious lines.”
