Mizoram NGO withdraws protest, to sit for discussion with union home minister Amit Shah

GUWAHATI: Conglomerate of several civil societies organisation, NGO co-ordination committee in Mizoram which had planned to protest during the visit of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has withdrawn the protest and will sit for discussion on proposed Citizenship Amendment bill (CAB).
Shah is visiting Mizoram on October 5, first timeafter the assuming the charge of Home minister. Shah's visit is being seen as attempt to reach out to people prior to the introduction of proposed Citizenship Amendment bill in November this year.

NGO co-ordination committee in Mizoram had asked the people to wear black shawls to register their protest against the Citizenship Amendment bill.

Vanlalrauta President of Young Mizo Association (YMA) told ET, “We wanted discussion on the Citizenship Amendment bill to put forward our point of views. Now that home minister has called for discussion on this issue there is no point of agitation for we got a better platform for discussion.”

He added, “We want Mizoram must be out of the ambit of Citizenship Amendment bill.”

Shah will be on one day visit to Aizawl, on Saturday, where besides addressing the BJP workers he will have meetings with Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga.

Shah will also inaugurate the North East Handloom and Handicraft Exhibition 2019 at Government Mizo High School field at Zarkawt in Aizawl. Mizoram Chief Minister and Union Minister of State for DoNER Jitendra Singh will be present on this occasion.

Mizoram has witnessed bitter resistance to Citizenship Amendment bill early this year. Mizoram’s NGO Coordination Committee had boycotted Republic Day celebrations in the state in protest against the bill.

Already BJP has announced that that new Citizenship Amendment bill is being drafted and will be introduced after consultation with stakeholders in November.

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently said that stakeholder discussion is on. The home minister has stated that bill be brought in next session of parliament and before that consultation process has to be over “In next one month you will see the visit important BJP leaders to the region. Consultation is on at various levels.”

He said that the bill will be moved in parliament once again but this will new feature, the cut of date will be December 31, 2014. Those Buddhist, Jains, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis who have come to India prior December 31, 2014 will be only eligible for Indian citizenship."

The Bill which is aimed at making minority communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible to apply for Indian citizenship was passed in Lok Sabha during the Narendra Modi-led government’s earlier tenure. However the bill was not placed in the Rajya Sabha.