Chief minister N Biren Singh calls all-party meeting on January 28

IMPHAL: Chief minister N Biren Singh has called a meeting between all political parties of the state on January 28 to discuss the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, even as protests against the statute continue unabated in the city. Meanwhile, six prominent student bodies of the state said they will stage a protest against the amendment bill in New Delhi on January 30.
Biren’s move comes a couple of days after top Congress leaders submitted a memorandum to governor Najma Heptulla requesting her to convene a special assembly session to discuss the bill. The governor, however, informed them that the state government had approached her office to keep the house prorogued.

Top leaders of the regional North East Development Party (NEIDP) have categorically said they are ready to sacrifice their lives in protests against the amendment bill. “We can fight against the amendment bill legally in the Supreme Court, for which we appeal to all political parties of the northeast for launching a signature campaign,” said NEIDP president Narengbam Samarjit Singh.

“On behalf of NEIDP, I will lead the campaign and if need arises, I am also ready to sacrifice my life for the cause of the people of the region against the bill,” added Samarjit.

Echoing Samarjit, the party’s vice-president and former MLA Sapam Kunjakishore said he also is willing to lay down his life to save the identity, culture and socio-economy of the northeast.

Strongly condemning the recent passage of the bill in Lok Sabha, NEIDP reiterated that the bill is against the people’s will and is a complete threat to the people. Vice-president of the party’s central working committee, N Biswajit, said as a regional party representing the entire northeast, NEIDP has been taking initiatives by way of organising agitations against the amendment bill.