Where is the special clause in CAB? Of CAB and pending final pact
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: November 20 2019 -

Naga peace talks or more precisely the peace talk between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India, pending a final pact. Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The ‘detention’ of RK Sanayaima alias Meghen, chairman of the proscribed UNLF after being released from jail.

The first two issues are likely to hog the limelight for days to come while the detention of RK Meghen will continue to draw flaks from numerous human rights crusaders spread across the State and beyond.

What can be the way forward ?

No easy answer here, as the 18 hours bandh called by MANPAC against the proposed CAB was total and the ‘alert’ sit in protests organised by COCOMI against any move that will compromise with the interests of the State at the altar of the peace talk with the NSCN (IM) continue to receive healthy response from the people.

Tension all over the place and it is under this environs that Manipur has been limping from one day to the other.

Does not exactly fit in with the understanding of a place where people should be engaged in productive pursuits to make life better for everyone.

But such is the reality that people are today ready to go out on the streets to ensure what they believe is a better deal for the future of the land and the people.

Apart from the final pact with the NSCN (IM), what is central to the many issues besieging the State is the CAB and this is where it would be interesting to question what has happened to the ‘special clause’ stand enunciated by Chief Minister N Biren not so long back.

And despite the Chief Minister himself asserting that a special clause would be urged to exempt or protect the interests of Manipur, a Minister or two have gone on record to state that there is nothing in the CAB which will harm the State.

A case of the left hand not knowing what its right hand is doing !

This question is important for a special clause is one point which the Chief Minister himself had mentioned prominently earlier.

What has happened to this point ?

This is a question which is important at this point for if reports coming from a Guwahati based daily is to be believed, all States where the Inner Line Permit System is in force may be exempted from the purview of CAB.

Such a clause can certainly go a long way in soothing people’s angst.

This would be the right way of going about it rather than parrot the line that CAB has nothing which will be inimical to the interests of the State and the North East.

MANPAC and the NEFIP would not have raised such a strong case without studying the details of CAB and its possible ramifications and surely the then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh would not have announced that a special package may be given to those who opt to stay outside the North East, once the CAB is enacted.

Apart from CAB, Manipur can also expect a prolonged series of sit-in protests against any point that may impinge on the interests of Manipur when the final pact with the NSCN (IM) is inked.

The Centre has said that all stakeholders would be consulted before the final pact is inked, but so far there is nothing much to suggest that such a move has been initiated.

The issues ahead are clearly critical and this is where everyone would need to keep their cool and not let emotions take over.