CAB: Arunachal student body urges people to observe bandh on Tuesday

Itanagar: Endorsing the NESO's decision to observe bandh in the Northeastern states on December 10 to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Sunday appealed to the people of the state to support the agitation.

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The North East Students' Organisation (NESO), the umbrella organisation of all North East students' bodies, has given the bandh call from 5am to 4pm on Tuesday.

However, Nagaland has been exempted from the purview of the bandh in view of the on-going Hornbill Festival there.

The Centre's is likely to introduce the Bill in Parliament on Monday despite stiff opposition by various organisations in the region.

"The AAPSU, a constituent of the NESO, has directed all its federal units in the state to arrange requisite manpower for successful implementation of the bandh and we have appealed to the people to voluntarily cooperate with us and support the bandh," AAPSU vice president Mije Taku told a press conference.

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Terming the bill as an attempt by the Centre to disintegrate the people of the region, Taku said that the stand of the AAPSU on CAB is clear from day one.

The CAB would not be applicable to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where inner line permit (ILP) system exists and those tribal regions of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura which are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

On this, Taku said, the AAPSU being a constituent of the NESO would oppose it as the bill would greatly affect other states of the region where Sixth Schedule is not in force.

"We are opposing the bill since day one and despite several meetings, the central leadership did not pay heed to the concern of the people of North East," Taku said.

The ILP is a special permit required by people from outsiders to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.

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The CAB will grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after seven years of stay in the country even if they do not possess proper documents.

The indigenous people of the Northeastern states fear that entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.

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