Civil society organizations and student bodies of Manipur decided to boycott the 70th Republic Day celebration on Saturday, in an order to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 (CAB) that was recently passed by Lok Sabha.

Rallies and sit-in demonstrations have been organized across the state demanding that withdrawal of the Bill. The decision was announced by the the President of All Manipur Students' Union during a joint press conference of all the student bodies that were participating in the rally.

“The student bodies have condemned the statement of Ministry of Home Affairs which states that under CAB, no individuals will be allowed to settle in any state without the consent of the state government. There is some hidden agenda of the central government that though the individual is not allowed to settle in any state without the consent of the state government, if he or she is settled in State where they are allowed, then under the constitution of the country, the individual could enter in any state of the country under freedom of movement,” the Student Union president said.

The prevailing situation has forced the government to urge the Centre for implementation of the National Register of Citizens in Manipur to ease the fears in the minds of people in the aftermath of passing the Bill.