CoHSO to stage hunger-strike protest against Citizenship bill

The decision was taken at a meeting held here on Tuesday, which also seeks to unite all stakeholders including political parties, social organisations, traditional institutions etc under one platform before calling for a grand Assembly (Dorbar Bah) to oppose the Bill.

CoHSO chairman and president of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) Robertjune Kharjahrin told reporters that the proposed three-day hunger strike will be launched in Shillong from January 24 to 26.

Prior to this, Kharjahrin said the confederation will also hold series of public meetings at Jowai on January 18, Khliehriat and Umsning on January 21 and Nongstoin and Mawkyrwat on January 23.

“We also distribute over 50,000 leaflets across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region to make people aware on the evils of the CAB against the indigenous people of the state and the North East region during these meetings besides burning of effigies,” he said.

The chairman further informed that the confederation is also proposing to hold the Dorbar Bah (grand Assembly) to send a strong message to the Centre that the people of Meghalaya in one voice vehemently oppose the CAB.

“We will try to bring everybody under one platform. Therefore, we urged all the political parties and NGOs to let us keep whatever differences we have aside and stand united on this issue for the cause of the indigenous community,” he said.

Asked, Kharjahrin claimed that talks are on with different social organisations on the matter even as he urged the traditional institutions to also convene their respective dorbars to oppose the citizenship bill.

Appealing to all members of the Rajya Sabha to ensure the Bill do not pass through in its next session, Kharjahrin said the Meghalaya government led by Conrad K Sangma is also demanded to immediately pass an official resolution in the Assembly.

“If the Citizenship Amendment Bill is allowed to become an Act, no doubt this will only give rise to “militant regime” in the North East region and who will take responsibility of such fallout,” he warned.

Asking the BJP-led NDA government to respect the sentiments of the people, the NGO leader said the Bill will only nullify the Instrument of Accession (IOA) and Annexed Agreement signed in 1948, Assam Accord and other agreements.

He also alleged that the Bill also violates the spirit of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India which seeks to protect the indigenous communities.

Admitting that it is high time to demand the Centre to implement the IOA & AA in letter and spirit, the HYC president however said, “The IOA can only be fully implemented after we get a separate state, the demand of which was spearheaded by our former leaders including Hopingstone Lyngdoh.”

He said the confederation is also demanding that the Centre should set up a high level committee to study the IOA signed in 1948 as it had done in the case of the Assam Accord, which was signed much later in 1985.

Referring to the recent statement made by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Kharjahrin however said, “The CAB is not the solution to stop religious persecution. If such incidents are really happening in these countries, then India should lodge a complaint against them with the international court of justice.”

Meanwhile, the CoHSO also appealed to the state government employees to also come forward and protest against the citizenship bill while appreciating the bold step taken by the government employees in Assam on the issue.

By Our Reporter