Mizoram CM Zoramthanga expresses happiness over Centre’s decision on exempting NE from CAB

Aizawl, December 10: With the historic debate giving historic result, the Lok Sabha on Monday passed the ‘Citizenship Amendment Bill’ with 311 ‘Ayes’. With this, Home Minister Amit Shah assured the Northeast should not be worried about the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as they are covered under the Inner Line Permit (ILP). With this, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga expressed happiness at the Centre’s decision to exempt Mizoram and some other northeastern states from the purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

 

Addressing a meeting at Mizo Hnam Run (MNF office) here, Zoramthanga said the people of Mizoram in general and political parties, NGOs and churches in particular, had strongly opposed the bill. “It is fortunate that the collective efforts of the common people, political parties, NGOs and churches have born fruit accordingly and Mizoram has been exempted from the ambit of the bill,” he said. He said his government is in great exultation over Mizoram being exempted from the purview of the bill

The chief minister also said he did not blame the proposed total shutdown on Tuesday called by state’s apex student body, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) under the aegis of the North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) to show solidarity with the people of the Northeast.

Amit Shah on Monday asserted that the whole of Arunachal Pradesh & Mizoram is protected by the Inner Line Permit (ILP), they have nothing to worry about. All of Nagaland, except a small part of Dimapur is also protected by Inner Line Permit, they too have nothing to worry.

Union home minister Amit Shah, who introduced the bill, said it seeks to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis who migrated to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh following religious persecution before December 31, 2014. He said the Congress “divided” the country on the basis of religion and that is why it was necessary to bring the bill. The bill seeks to give protection to the inner-line areas and scheduled areas of the northeastern states.