Speak nothing on CAA, don’t go to court on CAA, don’t support or protest against CAA is similar to the tale of the three monkeys — see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

This paraphrase of the tale of the three monkeys can be aptly applied to the National People’s Party (NPP), which claims to represent the aspirations of the “tribal people”, but which has chosen to remain a fence sitter on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Party members have been asked not to speak on the Act or take part in any rally in support or in protest against the legislation or to approach the judiciary against the Act.

The party members can open their mouth only after receiving a written permission from Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma who is also the national president of the “tribal-centric” party.

A diktat in the form of a notification was issued on New Year’s day by the party’s national general secretary and Meghalaya legislator, Thomas A. Sangma, a close aide of chief minister Conrad Sangma and his family.

The notification brought to light the party’s ambiguous stand on the Act — beginning with speaking against the legislation, followed by voting in the Lok Sabha in support of the legislation, and now, preferring to sit on the fence, and watch as protests after protests continue across the country. “In regard to recent amendment to the Citizenship Act, it has come to the knowledge of the national executive committee of the party that certain members of the party are commenting on the political and social impact of such an amendment upon the general people of northeastern India,” the leader said in the notification.

“As our party has already made its stand very clear about the CAA, it is hereby directed to all the members of the party to refrain from passing any comment, in the official capacity, on CAA, without written permission from the national president,” Sangma added.

“Similarly, no member shall have the right or authority to initiate legal proceedings before any court of law including the Supreme Court regarding the subject matter of CAA…..It is further clarified that no member of the party shall take part in any rally under the party’s banner, whether such rally is in support or against the CAA, without prior written permission from the national president.”

Sources said the diktat was brought out as the NPP is an ally of the BJP both at the Centre and the state.

Speaking for or against the Act could cost the NPP its supporters or cause friction with the BJP, the sources said.

The notification was also issued a day after NPP leader Nabam Vivek from Arunachal Pradesh quit the party over the amended citizenship law.

“The NPP took a U-turn in the CAB 2019, and voted in favour of this unconstitutional and divisive Act, which in the long run, will change the demography of the entire Northeast,” Vivek said in his resignation letter on December 31.

“I strongly oppose the CAA 2019 and cannot toe the line of the NPP in this matter,” he added.

On December 19 last year, when the Meghalaya Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution to demand from the Centre to implement the inner-line permit (ILP) in the state, Sangma was quiet when the Opposition Congress wanted a special session to pass a resolution demanding the scrapping of the Act.

Kerala is the first state in the country to adopt a resolution in the Assembly opposing the Act.