Mizoram NGOs to oppose Shah’s visit

Guwahati: Mizoram state BJP president J.V. Hluna on Tuesday called upon the civil society, students bodies and NGOs of the state not to boycott the proposed visit of Union home minister Amit Shah on October 5.

Asserting that his visit will benefit the state, Mr Hiluna said that the new citizenship bill will be brought in the parliament only after consultations with stakeholders.

“It is an important visit by such a senior union minister to Mizoram. The visit is an opportunity for Mizoram to submit their projects and requests and we should not lose that by opposing,” Mr Hluna said.

“I appeal to all organisations and the NGO coordination committee to cancel the protests and make the visit a successful one,” he added.

Mr Shah is visiting the state on October 5 for the first time after assuming the office and is expected to hold consultation on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).

The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India till December 31, 2014.

The legislation, which was passed by the Lok Sabha, lapsed earlier this year after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government failed to table it in the Rajya Sabha. Now, the new government wants to reintroduce the bill in parliament.

The coordination committee of NGOs, which is opposing the CAB, has decided to oppose the visit of Mr Shah.

“The committee has resolved to oppose the visit of Amit Shah, which is to campaign for CAB. We had opposed the legislation earlier as well and our stand on the issue is same as before,” secretary of Mizoram NGO coordination committee Mr Lalhmachhuana said.

Various organisations in Mizoram led by the NGO coordination committee had been opposing CAB and even boycotted Republic Day celebrations this year in the state. They fear an influx of Chakma refugees in large numbers from Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh if CAB is passed in Parliament.