Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma Steals Show with Fiery Speech at 4th NEDA Conclave

Guwahati, September 9, 2019:

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stole the show at the 4th Conclave of the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) here today. Speaking eloquent Hindi in a commanding yet considerate voice, the young Meghalaya Chief Minister raised an alarm about the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, also brought up many concerns of the Northeast.

Pitting forth some questions that the entire region has been meaning to ask the Central Government, Conrad stated that all the Northeast desires is "respect".

However, the young dynamo also had some reservations in regards to the BJP leadership's polities in the region. "Will the local laws no longer apply once the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is enacted?", he asked. Sangma further questioned what ramifications the implementation of the Bill might have on Article 371, which applies to many Northeastern States, as well as the Inner Line Permit (ILP) enjoyed by the people of the region.

By questioning the fate of the Article 371, Sangma's voice was echoing the sentiments of the people of the Northeast, who fear that their rights will also disappear after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sangma said that the people are concerned as there is fear that the Central Government will bypass the will of the people of the Northeast.

Making an appeal to the Home Minister, Sangma warned that the contentious Bill had the potential of upsetting the demographic composition of the entire Northeast region."In the future, Bangladeshis will keep pouring in after it is Bill. What is going to stop them?", he contended.

Read More: Citizenship (Amendment) Bill Not to Affect Rights of Indigenous People: Amit Shah

"We, the people of the Northeast, are all afraid that our lands will be occupied by illegals. I am afraid that the illegals Bangladeshis excluded from the NRC might occupy Meghalaya as my state borders Assam", Sangma boomed.

Sangma also appealed that the National People's Party (NPP) members across the board should all receive respect, whether they are affiliated with the NEDA or not.

Sangma said that the Northeast has received respect under the Narendra Modi-led NDA regime.

Sangma's fiery speech also earned him reluctant admiration from the Home Minister, Shah, who discussed in detail all the points that the NPP leader had made during his speech.

In an attempt to allay the Meghalaya Chief Minister's fears, Shah, during his speech, said that "the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will not violate Article 371 that is applicable in the Northeast. In fact, there is no connection between Articles 370 (which was revoked) and 371 apart from the fact that they are in close proximity in the Constitution. No one can touch Article 371". He further added that it will also not affect the Inner Line Permit (ILP), or other rights that the indigenous 'sons of the soil' enjoy.

Earlier in 2019, after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in Lok Sabha, Sangma had threatened to withdraw from the NEDA. Subsequently, his party, the National People's Party (NPP), had fought the Lok Sabha elections by itself, and their candidate from Tura, Agatha Sangma, had won the election, defeating Congress' Mukul Sangma.

Now, the Northeast once again finds itself on the cusp, as the BJP leadership has shown all signs of introducing the Bill once again. And once again, the Northeast prepares to protest against the highly controversial Bill.

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