The Citizenship Bill grants Indian citizenship to non-muslim minorities of 3 countries (Representational)
Darjeeling in north Bengal is heading for indefinite protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB with two key demands - the implementation of the Inner Line Permit in the district and the granting of the Original Inhabitant status to the Gorkha people not just in Darjeeling but across the country.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha faction loyal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a protest at Chowkbazar in Darjeeling on Tuesday where its leader Benoy Tamang also thanked the Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang for declaring that CAB and the National Register of Citizens or NRC would not be allowed in that state. Sikkim's lone MP voted against the Bill in Lok Sabha on Monday.
Mr Tamang has demanded an Inner Line Permit in Sikkim as well.
"There was an Inner Line Permit in Darjeeling district, Kalimpong district and Sikkim. We want the reimplementation of the Inner Line Permit," Mr Tamang said. "The CAB bill has nothing that protects the Gorkhas. We feel BJP is not sincere about Gorkhas. We strongly oppose CAB and NRC," he added.
"The Home Ministry should bring out a gazette notification to keep Gorkhas out of the purview of CAB and NRC. Gorkhas should be given original inhabitants status like santhals and adivasis in Assam," he said.
The protest at Chowkbazar in Darjeeling saw effigies of the home minister burnt, something condemned by Raju Bista, the BJP MP from Darjeeling. He has questioned claims that one lakh Gorkhas were left out of the NRC in Assam.
From Wednesday, the GJM Benoy Tamang faction will begin indefinite protests in the Darjeeling hills with dharnas at administrative offices. On 19th, they will submit a memorandum to the PM opposing the CAB. On 20th, Mr Tamang will write to all chief ministers on the issue seeking their support.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, cleared by the Lok Sabha after a fierce 12-hour debate on Monday, will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The controversial legislation provides that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing persecution in Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan can be granted citizenship.