A pressure group in Meghalaya’s Garo hills burnt the effigies of top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh, in protest against the inclusion of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the party’s manifesto.

At a two-day conference of the A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO), which concluded on Saturday at Anogre Multi Facility Centre in West Garo Hills, several speakers harped on the issue of illegal migration and termed the bill as “detrimental and suicidal for the Northeast”.

President of the Association of Democracy and Empowerment, Dalseng Bira Ch. Momin, said, “We are being threatened by illegal migrants.

The AYWO is also fighting to check the menace. The Meghalaya government is coming up with the plan of establishing entry-exit points across the state, of which over 20 will be set up in Garo hills.”

President of the Garo Students’ Union, Tengsak G. Momin, urged the gathering “to be prepared to fight for the motherland”.

“The government can take us to jail but they cannot erase our love for our motherland. It is our fundamental duty to protect our land,” he added.

AYWO president Sengbath Chambugong Marak said the organisation has been fighting to safeguard the Garo communities from non-indigenous people’s unabated intrusion through marriage, business and participation in the autonomous district council election.

“If we don’t bother, these outsiders will harass our tribes and compel us to leave the place. Therefore , we have to stand as one and fight,” he added.

AYWO vice-president Silkam Marak said the organisation would fight tooth and nail if the BJP dared to push the “anti-Northeast” legislation.

The Northeast witnessed massive protests earlier this year against the bill after the Centre tried to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, in Parliament.

The BJP in its manifesto said Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs escaping persecution from India’s neighbouring countries will be given Indian citizenship. But in the same breath, the party added that it would “clarify” to people on the issue while committing to protect the “linguistic, cultural and social identity” of the people of the Northeast.