NESO condemns passage of Citizenship Bill, warns of more agitation

Shillong, Jan 8 (IANS) Condemning the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, the North East Students Organisation (NESO) on Tuesday warned of more agitation across the northeastern states due to "another political injustice meted out by the Indian government on the indigenous people of the region".

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship Bill that seeks to remove hurdles in eligible migrants from six minority groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan from getting Indian citizenship despite opposition by political parties including the Congress and Trinamool Congress.

"The passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha is another political injustice meted out by the Indian government on the indigenous people of the northeastern states," NESO Chairman Samuel Jyrwa told IANS.

"This is a clear move of the government and their intention is reduce the indigenous people of the northeast to a minority in our own land," he said.

Warning of severe agitation across the northeastern states, Jyrwa said the apex student's body of the indigenous student groups across the seven northeastern states will soon meet and decide on the next future course of action.

"NESO will not be quiet but we will keep on following up on this very vital issue and will take appropriate decisions with full faith that we will continue to have your unstinted support so as to protect our distinct identity and our future generations," he said.

The NESO condemned the firing on unarmed tribal protestors by the Tripura Police.