A mass meeting of Assam Manipuri Mahasabha was held at Manipuri Basti Rajbari Athletic ground in Guwahati on June 8 in protest against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Delegations from places like Hojai, Lanka, Diphu, Golaghat, Simaluguri and Tinsukia took part in the meeting and presented their views and opposed the proposed bill.
After the meeting, a memorandum to the chairman, Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Assam, were also submitted through the deputy commissioner, Kamrup Metro, Guwahati.
The meeting expressed its concern over the attempt of the central government to extend citizenship beyond the cut-off date of March 24, 1971 and said that it is not acceptable to the people of Assam and the Northeast.
“The state of Assam is already overburdened with high influx of foreign nationals from Bangladesh, causing serious economic and social distress and identity crisis for the indigenous communities of Assam. Under these circumstances, the proposed amendment poses an existential threat to the existing indigenous communities,” the memorandum noted.
