All tribal apex bodies and civil society organisations in Nagaland have decided to reject the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

This was among the several resolutions adopted at a joint meeting here on Wednesday, Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants convener K. Ghokheto Chopi and secretary Tia Longchar said in a statement on Thursday.

The meeting said protective clauses like inner-line permit (ILP) and Article 371A will not protect Nagaland once the act is imposed in the neighbouring states. Nagaland had been exempted from the act.

The organisations demanded the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Opposition Naga Peoples Front (NPF) to come out with a clear stand why the MPs of Nagaland voted in favour of the act. They warned the MPs would be “held responsible should the future of Naga people put in jeopardy”.

While extending solidarity with all anti-CAA movements across the Northeast and other parts of the country, the meeting condemned the death of indigenous protesters in Assam and Tripura. It decided to cooperate with other states on the issue of the act under the aegis of North East Indigenous People’s Forum.

Expressing a firm stand against two cut-off dates with regard to ILP in Dimapur district, the organisations pointed out the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, had come along with creation of statehood on December 1, 1963.

They said December 1, 1963, should be the cut-off date for the ILP since indigenous certificates were being issued on this basis. “This is non-negotiable,” they said.

The meeting also decided to serve an ultimatum to the state government to submit the final report of the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland before January 31 next year and issue the final notification by February 29.

It also condemned the memorandum submitted by some “vested interest” non-local groups to the state government requesting it not to bring Dimapur under ILP. It said the appeal was a misrepresentation of facts and a mischievous attempt to sow strife and division among communities.

The JCPI said it had consulted non-Naga communities in the past and considered them as fellow stakeholders in the demand for ILP in Dimapur. It said it was ever ready to reason and sort out any genuine grievances or doubts with any community in Dimapur.