4th Conclave of rth East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) held in Guwahati on Monday was a high volt conclave with attendance of Union Home Minister and BJP National President Amit Shah and all eight Chief Ministers of rast. This is first NEDA Conclave since 2016, with all eight CMs toger on same dais. 

4th Conclave of NEDA

thing much was expected out of this conclave, except for a show of strength by BJP along with its allies from rth East, until Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP president Conr Sangma raised issue of NRC and Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2016. His concerns were genuine. Soon he was backed by his counterpart from Mizoram Zoramthanga and Nagaland Neiphiu Rio. Thus, course of conclave shifted to NRC and CAB 2016. At peak of debate on CAB 2016, towards last months of first term of Modi government, entire rth East was at boiling point. Protests demonstrations, shut down calls dominated helines. It rang warning bells for BJP, who strongly vocates for CAB 2016.

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On September 9, during 4th NEDA Conclave, when Conr Sangma raised issue of NRC and CAB, followed by Zoramthanga and Neiphiu Rio, everyone in hall thought that it would open a Pandora's box. But perhaps BJP, major stakeholder of NEDA was looking for one such opportunity to clear air over CAB 2016 particularly. It was one such opportunity because all ir alliance partners were on same dais at same time. Moreover, all of m took a stand against CAB 2016. After all chief ministers and party chiefs, Union Home Minister and BJP National President Amit Shah went to podium to speak. In his speech, Amit Shah t only cleared doubts centering CAB 2016 but also set nda for a fresh discourse on it. 

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What were doubts? 

Starting from cut off a year to wher this bill will have an verse impact on customary laws, settlement rights, land rights of indigeus people in some of rastern States, Article 371, Inner Line Permit, etc. re were many doubts. People, student bodies, civil society organizations, and politicians h a fear that it will t only impact demographic pattern of region but will also pose a threat to cultural identity of region. 

What did Amit Shah say? 

Union Home Minister and BJP President t only allayed fears but also assured that passing of this bill will change thing as far as existing laws are concerned. Explaining difference between Article 370 and Article 371, Amit Shah said, "re is similarity between se two except being in a sequence." Reaffirming that t a single infiltrator will be allowed to stay in India, Shah reiterated that those detected will be deported. Speaking on cut off year, an issue raised by Conr Sangma, Shah said that only those who came before December 31, 2014, will be allowed citizenship if CAB 2016 is passed and t to anyone who came after that. 

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Official's response to Shah's speech

response to Amit Shah's speech has been very positive. Conr Sangma and or Chief Minister's who raised issue looked hopeful. Conr said that he will have furr discussion with or groups who are against CAB 2016. However, All Assam Students' Union is t happy with assurance given by Shah. Speaking to Republic, a top leer of AASU said that re is question of accepting foreigners up to 2014. It may be ted that Assam has alrey taken burden of foreigners until 1971, and NRC is to detect those who came after 1971, pointed AASU leer. y fear that it CAB 2016 will derail entire NRC exercise. However, mixed response has little to do with ground reality if we look back at election results of 2019 General Elections. NEDA won 19 out of 25 seats in rast when anti CAB 2016 agitation was at its peak.

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