Normal life hit in parts of Nagaland in shutdown against citizenship law

Schools and colleges were closed, markets were shut and vehicles remained largely off roads in parts of Nagaland on Saturday amid a six-hour shutdown call given by the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), protesting against the amended Citizenship Act, officials said.

No untoward incident has been reported so far from the Naga inhabited areas where the shutdown began at 6 am, they said.

The sudden shutdown, announced by the NSF on Friday to express resentment of the Naga population against the law, will continue till 12 pm.

Students appearing examination, medical staff on duty, media personnel, and those having weddings are being allowed on roads by the protestors.

State capital Kohima also wore a deserted look with most of the commercial establishments not opening due to the shutdown.

NSF vice president Dievi Yano condemned the amended Citizenship Act, saying it did not take into account the sentiments of the indigenous people of the Northeast.

"The NSF totally resents the injustice done by the central government and we will never support the amended Citizenship Act, which is the latest weapon of the Centre to divide the Northeastern people on concessional lines," he said.

"The NSF does not believe in classification of illegal immigrants on religious lines as the NSF regards all illegal immigrants as criminals and they must be treated accordingly," he said.

Further, the NSF condemned the three Naga MPs Tokheho Yepthomi (Lok Sabha) and K G Kenye (Rajya Sabha) from Nagaland and Lorho S Pfoze (Lok Sabha) from Manipur -- for voting in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The NSF said that along with the North East Students Organisation (NESO) it would take all necessary measures to ensure that the law does not take effect in the region.

On Friday, Dimapur Naga Students' Union along with the Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants organised a candlelight vigil in Dimapur which saw hundreds of people taking part.