After Naga party sends notice to MPs who voted for CAB, RS member quits party post

Kenye, who quit the party post on December 20, told The Indian Express: “I have resigned as party secretary-general. I have not resigned from the party itself. I will continue to be a member of NPF. I resigned to save my party from any embarrassment.”

Not indicating whether any further action will be taken against either MP, Zeliang said: “…The NPF has always opposed the Bill. We have had several meetings and passed several resolutions against this Bill. They needed to consult the party before the vote.”

The party has given the MPs time until December 26 to reply, Zeliang said.

Kenye maintained that the party took its decision against him and Pfoze without completely comprehending protections that the new Bill received from the Union government. He pointed out that the NPF has opposed the 2016 Bill.

Kenye said, “That Bill had no provisions for protecting the people of Nagaland when illegal immigrants are naturalised, which could have led to an uncontrolled demographic invasion. When the 2019 amendment was introduced (in CAB), I saw that the (Union) government had considered our demands; protection was given to Nagaland. So, in interest of the land and the people, I voted in support of the Bill.”

Pfoze also said the new Bill — now a law — was different from the 2016 Bill, which the NPF had been opposing. “I guess we were unable to communicate this shift to the party leadership in time,” he said, calling it a “misunderstanding” that can be resolved.

Pfoze said he has already replied to the notice.

The Naga Students Federation (NSF), which represent Naga students not only in the state but also in neighbouring Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, has sought an explanation from the state’s MPs, including NDPP’s Tokheho Yepthomi, who voted in favour of the Bill.

NSF president Ninoto Awomi said, “They should have taken the public sentiment into account… We don’t believe we are protected (enough) by the ILP and the exclusion that the Home Minister (Amit Shah) announced.’’