Manipur | Student bodies to intensify agitation against Citizenship Amendment Bill

IMPHAL, January 19, 2019: Student bodies in Manipur on Friday threatened to intensify their agitation demanding a withdrawal of Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was recently passed in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh reiterated that his government will not support the Bill unless the indigenous people of the state are exempted from Bill's purview.

"I have been urging the Centre Government to insert a clause to protect the indigenous people of the state in effecting the Bill," said Singh.

However, not satisfied with the Chief Minister's assurance, the Manipur Students' Federation (MSF), Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA), Students' Union of Kangleipak (SUK) and Apunba Irreipakki Maheirosing Singpanglup (AIMS), announced to intensify their agitation.

Six student bodies have been organizing sporadic forms of agitation in Imphal demanding the withdrawal of the Bill.

On Thursday the group met the Chief Minister on Thursday at his office secretariat in connection with the Citizenship Amendment Bill. However, the meeting failed to bring any understanding.

Ng. Milan, president of MSF, said on Friday that talks with the Chief Minister were not fruitful, as a result, they would intensify their stir.

Terming the passing of the Bill as a "humiliation" to the indigenous people of North East region, Milan said the student bodies will leave no stone unturned until the Bill is withdrawn.

Another five students' bodies including Manipuri Students' Association Delhi (MSAD), Socialists Students' Union Manipur (SSUM), Reformists Student Front (RSF), All Meitei Pangal Students' Union Manipur (AMPSUM) and All Manipur Muslim Students' Organisation (AMMSO), also announced to launch a series of agitation starting January 20 against the Bill.

During a joint press conference convened on Friday, the representatives of the student groups said they would begin their series of agitation with a mass sit-in-demonstration on January 20.

Furkan Makakmayum, vice-president of MSAD cautioned that they would be compelled to launch an intense form of agitation beyond the democratic form if the government fails to pay any heed.

With Indian Express inputs