Don’t Impose CAB in State, NE: Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) to Centre

A REPORTER

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has demanded the Government of India not to impose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) in Meghalaya and other States in the North East region.

In a memorandum submitted to Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a meeting held in New Delhi on Saturday, KSU has expressed its stiff opposition and utter resentment to the proposed CAB, which seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsees, Christians and Buddhists migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It said the Bill is being proposed by the Central government without taking into account all the aspects including the demographic structure of the north-eastern States of India including Meghalaya.

“Though the KSU is not against any humanitarian venture by the country yet it feels that prior to the implementation of any international humanitarian act, the humanitarian perspective of the microscopic indigenous communities of NE India should first be taken into account,” it also said.

Stating that there are approximately 14 million Hindus in Bangladesh, KSU chief Lambor Starwell Marngar said in Meghalaya, there are only more than 1 million ethnic Khasis which are currently facing the wrath of unabated influx from migrants belonging to other communities.

“In the capital city of Shillong itself, the indigenous Khasi population was reduced to not more than 50 per cent compared to past statistics. Therefore if such a bill is passed or if immediate citizenship is issued to the migrants then the indigenous communities of NE India and Meghalaya are bound to be wiped out or depopulate by these migrants,” he said.

“If suppose from the 14 million Bangladeshi Hindus, 3 million seeks citizenship or are granted Indian citizenship and are settled in Meghalaya, then the 1 million Khasi populace will be reduced to a minority which in turn will lead to unimaginable discrimination of the tribal rights, customs and their political, economical and social rights. This will ultimately result in their extinction and forced assimilation into the dominant communities,” he added.

Marngar further said, “Instead of implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is draconian in nature to the people of North East India in general and the people of Meghalaya in particular, the Government of India should instead find ways and means to safeguard the interest and survival of the indigenous people of the region.

“In this context, we appeal to the Central government to facilitate the speedy implementation of the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation-1873 or the Inner Line Permit, non-application of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty 1950 in Meghalaya and the North East, granting of constitutional safeguards be granted to the people of Meghalaya with rights over land and natural resources amongst others which are long pending aspirations of the people.”

The KSU further suggests that developmental schemes should be earmarked for the region so as to uplift the standards of living amongst the indigenous communities. Preservation of culture, customary laws, and languages of the people of the region should be of utmost emphasis to the Central Government, the KSU stressed.

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