DIMAPUR, Jan 7 - The Opposition Naga People�s Front (NPF) today called for a strong stand against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, stating it was useless to argue over the merits and demerits of the Act at this juncture.
NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu, in a release, said the people of the North East in general and the Nagas in particular must understand the true colour of the CAA with a long-term perspective.
He said those who supported the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Parliament recently would put forth points like incorporation of inner line permit (ILP) system in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 in the Act, exemption of Nagaland from it, introduction of ILP in Manipur, etc. All these are to cover up the real motive behind the Act, he maintained.
According to Liezietsu, the effect of the CAA will be felt slowly in the form of �population politics�.
�People will not feel the pain instantly, but it will develop with very low intensity and without much awareness for a long time. It will keep on increasing its impact and intensity year by year in due course of time.
He expressed the apprehension that the Act may uproot the people of the North East unless they take a strong stand against it.
Maintaining that the Act was brought in purely on religious lines based on the theory of �one nation, one religion�, Liezietsu said it aims to promote the interests of one particular religion.
�To destroy this unity in diversity is to destroy the greatness of India,� he added.
Liezietsu said it was most unfortunate that the people in power in Delhi today are destroying this very foundation of democracy and the greatness of India. He said Indians who stand for democracy and secularism are very much agitated today.
Liezietsu added the Naga people are ashamed of what was done by some of their leaders in supporting this process of destroying democracy of the country.
