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South Garo Hills Mukul Sangma quits as

villagers catch Amapati MLA
endangered eel

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SPECIAL ARTICLE (HTT…

CAB: It’s Long Tern Repercussions

By PUBLIC (http://www.theshillongtimes.com/author/public/) On Feb 5, 2019

South Garo Hills Mukul Sangma quits as

villagers catch Amapati MLA
endangered eel

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By Albert Thyrniang
Last year a European visited Tura. After someone shook hands with him saying, “Welcome to India”, he immediately
remarked, “This is not India. This is South Asia”. He went on to explain that the people in the North East are completely
di erent from the people in the rest of India. Culturally, linguistically, ethnically, geographically and physically the

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North East is not North or South or West or Central India. In the North East you have the feeling you are in Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines or any of any those countries in the South Asian region. The North East is unique
concluded the visitor.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) 2016 that was passed in the Lok Sabha last month is a pre-determined agenda
to undermine, if not destroy the uniqueness of the North East. CAB comes from an obnoxious mind of the RSS and
other fascist groups, the masters and the foot soldiers of BJP. These groups stand for one culture (Hindutva), one
language (Hindi) and one religion (Hinduism) in a country they want to call Hindustan. These groups are aliens to
pluralism and diversity. They are foreign to tolerance and much less to acceptance of others di erent from them.  CAB
is certainly not to promote, preserve, protect and safeguard the tribes of the North East and their cultures.

On February 1, a news portal in its ‘breaking news’, quoting unnamed sources claimed that the Rajya Sabha
Chairperson had nalized the agenda for the Budget Session and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 was not listed.
Apart from it, a Google search did not yield any result. So,for the moment it is presumed the Bill will be tabled and
might even be passed in the Upper House in the current Budget Session as indicated by the President’s Address on the
last day of January.

One major and natural, fall out of CAB will be the rise of extremism or unhealthy regionalism in the North East. The
evidences are already on display during the series of unprecedented protests against the Bill that proposes to give a
blanket invitation to Hindus, and by compulsion, also to other non-Muslims migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and
Afghanistan. Rights activists, Akhil Gogoi has already stated that the Assamese people should quit India if the Bill was
passed. Assamese Literateur, Hiren Gohan and journalist Manjit Mahanta allegedly made similar statements. All three
have been booked under sedition sections of IPC. Such charges won’t deter angry people of the region because they
feel ghting against CAB is ghting for their very existence.

In Mizoram protesters even had banners that read, “Hello China, Bye Bye India”. In Shillong slogans like, “Khasis by
birth, Indians by accident” rent the air. In Nagaland where people feel their ‘country’ is being occupied by the Indian
forces, the call for independence might have vibrated the air. All over the North East similar sentiments were
expressed by youths who fell terribly let down and betrayed by the BJP government at the centre. On social media
sections of the people even demanded that North East India be one country. A Shiv Sena MP even predicted that if the
Citizenship Bill is passed the situation in the Northeastern states would turn worse than Kashmir.

CAB will give an excuse to young people to take up arms. It might give a llip to the various underground groups
operating in the region. They may claim ‘legitimacy’ for their unlawful activities. There has been an overall
improvement in law and order in the last few years. The NSCN (IM), North East’s most powerful underground out t is
under cease re with the Indian government, ULFA in Assam has been considerably weakened, NDFB in Bodoland has
come over ground, HNLC in Khasi Hills has almost disappeared, GNLA in Garo Hills has surrendered. Other groups
have either joined the mainstream or have been subdued. This has been possible because civil societies and the
people in general no longer supported these groups.   It will not be a surprise if the whole region goes back to the
situation it was 10/15 years ago. The feeling of alienation and oppression in the region will now increase. Who is
responsible for this if not the BJP, the RSS and other right wings groups?

The allies of the BJP in the region are also responsible. They need to be made accountable. They embraced the BJP for
power, money and false promises. The NDPP in Nagaland, the AGP in Assam, the IPFT in Tripura, the NPP, NPF and LJP
in Manipur and the NPP, UDP, HSPDP in Meghalaya are also answerable. Did they not know that since its inception the
BJP has been a communal party? Did they not know about the narrow ideology, divisive philosophy and dangerous
agenda of the RSS, the parent of the BJP? Were they ignorant that the BJP is but the political arm of the RSS? Who can
enlighten them that the sa ronization of the bureaucracy, the country’s institutions and the whole nation is the
agenda of the RSS? Were they unaware that the RSS never accepted the tricolor, rejected the green and white colour
(read Muslims and minorities respectively) in the tri-colour and never hoisted the National Flag for 55 years? Had no
one educated them that that Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the early ideologue of the RSS who popularized the term
Hindutva and who was implicated in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi pleaded for mercy from the British so that
he would be set free from prison? Had no one warned them that the RSS considers all tribals as Hindus?

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The Government of Nagaland has rejected the CAB and claims that Nagaland is protected by ILP. Manipur has prayed
for exemption in case the Bill becomes a law. The AGP has pulled out of BJP led government in Assam. The di erent
parties under the leadership of Conrad K Sangma, Meghalaya’s CM might have resolved to oppose the Bill and other
political fall outs have happened but the damage has already been done. Moreover, there was no decisive stand like
an ultimatum to sever ties with the sa ron party from the allies and of quitting the party from BJP CMs, ministers and
legislators prior to and even after passing of the Bill in the Lower House. What held them back if they care for their
states and the people?

In Meghalaya why did the NPP deny that they had a nexus with the BJP prior to the election last year? Why did the
party form the government with the BJP? Why did the UDP and HSPDP join hands with the BJP? Why did they all
gracefully allow the likes of Amit Shah and Himanta Biswa Sarma to act as ‘falicitators’ in the state where they had just
two members? Why did the ministers take oath against a sa ron background? The UDP has accused the BJP of using
CAB as a ‘vote investment’ but why are they still hands in glove as partners? A cabinet resolution opposing the Bill
might have taken place and the entire cabinet rushed to Delhi to unsuccessfully meet the PM; the ministers might be
attending rallies and protests but they are too little to stop CAB from sailing through in the Rajya Sabha.

The PM whom they greatly revere and admirehas ignored them and will continue to ignore his negligible partners in
the state. It is election time. Points are scored. CAB has improved the chances of the NDA to return to power in spite of
the fact they have almost zero to show in terms of development and delivering on the mighty promises made in 2014.
Lest we stray too far history will blame the BJP’s allies for the passage of the CAB.

The PM has assured that Assam and North East will be protected. The assurance is unconvincing. He has not spelt out
how. Are there amendments in the Bills to address the concerns of the regions? What are those amendments? Are the
amendments su cient to allay the fears of the people of North East?

Clearly CAB’s sinister objective is to create an anti-Muslim sentiment. The creators of this Bill hoped to pitch Muslims
against non-Muslims. Since in the North East illegal immigrants are perceived to be mainly Muslims, CAB was thought
to unite non-Muslims against Muslim. But rightly it back red. The threat to the indigenous people of North East is the
non-Indians from Bangladesh, irrespective of religion. However, the BJP will think it has achieved its goal of polarization
before the General Election 2019. Hope the electorate sees through this worrying design and vote wisely to preserve
the valued secular and pluralistic fabrics of the nation.

Should the RajyaSabha pass the Bill violence, unrest, turmoil and bloodshed might return to ‘Seven Sisters’. We might
go back to the dark days of militancy and arm struggle. We might have to witness the ugly face of
unwantedregionalism, CAB might cause emotional alienation of North East India. If that happens the BJP and its allies
in the North East are solely responsible.

Albert Thyrniang

Umswai, East KarbiAnglong, Assam

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