AMSU refuses to back off, shutdown on

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 9: Explaining that its demand, under North East Students' Organisation (NESO), is to scrap Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) has announced that it will never compromise on CAB with the extension of ILPS in Manipur.
AMSU further announced that instead of backing off on its support to the total shutdown called by NESO in the North East region, including Manipur, from 3 am to 6 pm tomorrow, it has made necessary preparations to intensify the agitation.
Speaking to media persons at AMSU HQs at DM College campus today evening, its president (in-charge) Laishram Athouba Meitei said that if CAB is implemented in the country, a large number of foreigners, now granted Indian citizenship under the Bill, will begin pouring into the North East States.
Reminding about the identification of a large number of people without valid documents and details during the NRC update of Assam, he also explained that even States with ILP system like Mizoram and Nagaland, are opposed to CAB.
Lauding the decision to extend ILPS in Manipur, Athouba however said that AMSU will not compromise the extension of ILPS in the State with the issue of CAB.
As a component body of NESO, AMSU will not back off from its earlier stand, he added.
Pointing out that AMSU, under NESO is demanding that the CAB be scrapped completely, he said that the association has made necessary preparations to intensify the total shutdown tomorrow.
Informing that medical emergencies, water, electricity, media persons and observation of International Human Rights Day will be exempted from the shut down, he appealed to  those concerned to also refrain from organising the football match which was scheduled for tomorrow with NEROCA as the host, in the interest of the State.
The AMSU president further stressed on the importance of determining the base year of the supposed ILPS for Manipur and whether it will be truly able to protect the people from the effects of CAB.
If the people rejoice just because of announcement by the Centre, instead of looking at the long term impacts, it will lead to various problems later on, he reasoned.