3 Northeastern MPs facing heat for supporting CAA

Kohima/Aizawl/Agartala : Three Parliamentarians from the northeastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura are facing a strong local backlash for supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

While the Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland K. G. Kenye was suspended by his party Nagaland People''s Front (NPF), the lone Lok Sabha member from Mizoram C. Lalrosanga has been facing strong protests by the local parties.

Terrorist outfit National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) threatened to take action against the ruling BJP''s Lok Sabha member Rebati Tripura for supporting the CAA.

In Nagaland, the NPF, the main opposition party, on Wednesday suspended its Rajya Sabha member K. G. Kenye from the party for "anti-party" activity for voting in favour of the CAA.

Kenye, however, said that he voted in favour of the amendment bill as it exempted Nagaland because the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regulation has been in force in the state.

Last month, Kenye had quit as Secretary General of the NPF but had not quit the party.

In Mizoram, various local parties specially the state''s apex students'' organisation, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), have been protesting against Lok Sabha member C. Lalrosanga who belongs to the ruling Mizo National Front.

Lalrosanga, a former Director of Doordarshan, told IANS that he had voted for the CAA as per the decision of the party.

On Tuesday a large number of MZP activists staged a demonstration at ALengpui airport and showed black flags to Lalrosanga as he arrived at the airport from Delhi.

The ruling BJP''s ally in Tripura, the Indigenous People''s Front of Tripura (IPFT), continued its indefinite sit-in for the fifth day on Friday.

In Kolkata, retired government officers and civil society groups on Friday took out a rally in the city against the Citizenship Amendment Act, urging the non-BJP states to not implement the contentious legislation.

The march was organised under the banner of Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA) and led by former IAS officer Harsh Mander.

The rally started from the Statesman House at Esplanade area, and culminated near the Gandhi statue at Mayo Road.

In an open letter, around 106 retired IAS, IFS, IPS and central service officers had on Thursday condemned the CAA, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).

Alleging that the decisions of the BJP-led government at the Centre have largely been discriminatory, TMC MP Derek O' Brien said the CAA, much like demonetisation, would hurt the poor most.

O'Brien, while participating in a discussion on the CAA at a premier law school in the city, said the country was facing a "serious crisis" due to the Centre's decision to implement the new citizenship law.

"Demonetisation (in 2016) had hit the poor hard. The impact remains the same (with regard to CAA, NRC). This time, too, the Centre's decision will affect housewives, students, bankers, farmers -- in short everybody.

It will hit the poorest of the poor the hardest," the senior TMC leader claimed.

In Varanasi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, continuing her campaign to meet victims of violence under the Yogi Adityanath regime, reached Varanasi on Friday.

Priyanka spent over an hour with those who had been arrested in the anti-CAA protests and heard their experiences. Members of the civil society were also present.

She met Ravi Shekhar and Ekta, the young couple who had been arrested, leaving their 14-month old baby in neighbour''s care.

According to sources, Priyanka assured the group of her support and also the support of the Congress in their campaign.

Media was not allowed in during her meeting.

Senior Congress leader Shweta Rai also created a ruckus alleging that senior party leaders were being prevented from meeting Priyanka Gandhi.

Priyanka also met the NSUI members who had registered a historic win in the students'' union elections of the Sanskrit University on Thursday, defeating ABVP candidates.

Some students from the Banaras Hindu University also turned up to meet her.