Mizoram body decides to boycott R-Day celebrations over Citizenship Bill
(Sourced from PTI)
Mizoram's NGO Coordination Committee has called for a boycott of the Republic Day celebrations in the state in protest against the citizenship bill, the committee's chairman Vanlalruata said. The committee, an umbrella organization of civil societies and students' bodies, said that all the government employees and students would stay away from functions organized on Republic Day on January 26. Here's more.
In a press statement issued after a meeting of the NGO Coordination Committee in Aizawl (capital of Mizoram), it said that the Lok Sabha has passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 despite widespread protests. "The bill necessitates stronger protests," it said.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document. The much controversial bill is pending clearance from the Rajya Sabha now.
The NGO Coordination Committee also lent support to the proposed protest rally to be held across the state tomorrow by the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), an apex Mizo multinational students' body, in protest against the legislation. MZP was initially known as Lushai Students Association (LSA).
