New Delhi Nov 30: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Saturday made it clear to the Centre that piecemeal solution being offered in connection with the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) would not be accepted, and demanded that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) should be implemented in all states of the North East, and exempt the North Eastern region from the purview of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Friendship (INTF), 1950.

It also demanded the implementation of NRC in all the North Eastern states with a base year which might differ depending upon the unique history of each state, and Constitutional safeguards with rights over land and natural resources among others.

The NESO delegation led by its Chairman, Samuel B Jyrwa, met Union Home Minister, Amit Shah on the contentious issue of CAB in New Delhi.

During the meeting, NESO questioned the Centre as to why the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) and other stake holders of Manipur were not invited, and termed it “a gross injustice” to the indigenous people of Manipur.

“We met the Union Home Minister and told him very frankly that the stand of NESO since 2016 has been against the CAB till now. We also said piecemeal solution will not offer any solution,” Jyrwa told reporters after meeting Shah in New Delhi.

Jyrwa said that the Union Home Minister has briefed NESO regarding meetings with different states in which solutions were offered for different states on a piecemeal manner.

“The North East is a block and as NESO, we are standing for the whole Northeast and we are against the CAB. If some states are affected as a result of the CAB, then sooner or later, the other North Eastern states will be affected simultaneously,” Jyrwa said.

The NESO urged upon the Home Minister not to go ahead with the current amendment of the Citizenship Act, but to respect the sentiments of the indigenous citizens of the North East.

The NESO demanded that instead of imposing the CAB, the Central government should implement the ILP in all states of the North East, exempt the North Eastern region from the purview of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Friendship, 1950, implement NRC in all the NE states with a base year which might differ depending upon the unique history of each State, Constitutional safeguards with rights over land and natural resources among others.

Jyrwa also said that the NESO welcomed all protective measures taken by all states like ILP areas, Sixth Schedule areas and other measures like the implementation of Constitutional safeguards for the state of Assam.

When asked about NESO’s next course of action if the CAB is passed, he said that NESO as body will hold a meeting with all its constituents to take stock and decide accordingly.

In its memorandum, NESO reiterated its stand against the CAB on the ground that the Bill is against the interest of the indigenous people of the North Eastern region and the Government of India should understand that the indigenous people of the North East are a minority in all fronts ethnically, linguistically and religiously.

“The North East has been facing the huge problem of illegal migration right from 1947 during independence of India due to partition, mass influx of refugees from Bangladesh due to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the results of which, the indigenous people of Tripura are reduced to a minority and 11 districts of Assam out of 24, are now dominated by non-indigenous people,” the NESO said.

It said that the Government of India has to take into account the abnormal decadal population growth of 27.8 per cent in Meghalaya according to the 2011 census, the abnormal rise can be attributed to unabated influx of people from Bangladesh.

“Accordingly, the CAB will also nullify the Assam Accord signed in 1985 whereby the cut-off date of 1 971 will be quash with the new proviso inserted in the Bill. The CAB will only add to the influx problem and ultimately the indigenous populace will become minorities in their own land,” the memorandum said.

The other constituents of NESO who met with the Union Home Minister, Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and Garo Students’ Union (GSU) who are representing their respective states have all expressed their strong opposition to the bill.