The members of several social organisations, including a students' body, today opposed the idea of granting citizenship to migrants during a meeting with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill, 2016, at the State Convention Hall here.
The Bill has been introduced in the Lok Sabha with an aim to provide citizenships to persecuted minorities from the neighbouring countries after at least six years of their residence in India.
The North East Students Organisation (NESO), in a petition to the committee, said the people of the region should be provided with "constitutional safeguards".
"We oppose the proposed Bill in totality and demand that Inner Line Permit system be introduced for the entire region," NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said.
"The Bill is another effort to encourage infiltration of the Hindus from Bangladesh into the different states of the region. People here are shocked to see that religion is a criterion in the bill," he said.
In all, 10 different organisations, including the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (Tripura) and the Grand Council of Chiefs (an organisation of tribal communities), were present at the meeting.
"Tripura is flooded with immigrants and the indigenous people have been reduced to a minority in their very own land," INPT leader M Debbarma said.
Quoting census data, Debbarma blamed influx of the Bangladesh nationals as the reason behind the drop in percentage of the indigenous tribals in Tripura - 62 per cent in 1941 to just 30 per cent in 1991.
Earlier in the day, the members of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People and pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-P) staged a peaceful rally in the city to protest against the proposed Bill.
The Khasi Students' Union also held a demonstration on the premises of the State Convention Hall to oppose the Bill.
JPC chairman and BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, who was present at the meet today, said all opinions and views will be compiled in a report and submitted to the Parliament.
Asked if the JPC will hold meetings in all states of the North East, Agrawal said, "We have held sittings in Guwahati, Silchar and Shillong. If needed, the committee can think of holding hearing sessions in other states later."
The ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, which has the BJP as one of its constituents, had earlier this week said it would oppose the Bill tooth and nail.
Stating that the Bill is "dangerous" for a small state like Meghalaya, Deputy Chief Minister P Tynsong said it does not benefit the people of Meghalaya in any way.
"This (Bill) looks dangerous as a Christian or a Hindu, once they are here for 6 years, can become a citizen of India," he had said.
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