The Golaghat Road bus stand area wears a deserted look as the NESO bandh to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill took effect across the state on January 8. (Morung Photo by Soreishim Mahong)
Bill will impact demographic of the state: NSF
Morung Express News
Kohima/Dimapur | January 8
The 11-hour bandh called across the north-east by the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on January 8 went off without any untoward incident reported in Nagaland. The bandh, which was called to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 paralysed normal day-to-day activities with the state capital Kohima shutting down except the police and administrative machinery.
Government offices, banking institutions and commercial establishments remained closed, while pedestrian and vehicular movements were also restricted.
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) described the bandh in Nagaland as “peaceful and normal” with no untoward incident reported from any corner of the state.
NSF president Kesosul Christopher Ltu briefing the media in the evening in Kohima said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 would have large-scale ramifications in the region. “This is going to have direct impact on the demographic aspect of the state,” he said.
Ltu said the bandh was “done with purpose” and that the state government should take cognizance of the gravity of the situation.
With Dimapur out of the purview of the Inner Line Permit regulation, he held that the district has become a “hot bed for illegal immigrants.” He further alleged that the Chümoukedima Check Post is not as vigilant and is not properly monitoring the influx of immigrants.
According to Ltu, the government should not view the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill lightly and rather come out openly and pass a strong resolution opposing the Bill.
Meanwhile, reports from other districts stated that the bandh took effect without incident. A report from Kiphire however stated that the bandh call did not affect the district headquarters. Businesses and offices functioned normally, the report said.
In Phek, the Phek Town Chakhesang Students Union (PTCSU) imposed the bandh. The PTCSU, in a press release, stated that it supports the NESO in “vehemently opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.” It warned the Government of India “not to play with the future of the indigenous people of the North East for political vote bank.”
In Wokha, the Lotha Students' Union (LSU) said, “All commercial activities in the district were paralyzed on account of the bandh.” While stating that security forces were deployed by the district administration, the LSU informed that the bandh in Wokha town was brought to a close by holding a programme at the police point in the evening.
Normal life Dimapur also came to a halt. Unlike other bandh days, many road intersections in the town were devoid of any volunteer-checkpoints. Few volunteers were seen deployed only at important intersections starting from Dillai inter-state checkpost till Chümoukedima.
The railway station parking lot wore a deserted look accept for a few military trucks, while only pedestrians were seen at the Golaghat Road bus terminus and the autorickshaw stand at Railgate.
Volunteers at the checkpoints maintained that vehicles with genuine reasons for travelling were allowed without harassment. Volunteers of the Choümukedima Town Students Union said that as publicised by the NSF, medical cases, people heading to weddings, outbound and inbound travellers and students were allowed to pass.
Not a single incident as to vitiate peaceful holding of the bandh occurred in its checkpoint till afternoon, they claimed.
