The Opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) has suspended Rajya Sabha member K.G. Kenye from primary membership of the party almost a month after he voted in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The NPF is no longer a friend of the BJP in Nagaland but is part of the BJP-headed coalition government in adjoining Manipur.
On December 20, 2019, the NPF’s disciplinary action committee served show-cause notices to Lorho Pfoze, the Lok Sabha member elected from the Outer Manipur constituency, and Mr. Kenye, who represents Nagaland in the Upper House.
The committee had asked the two parliamentarians why they had defied a party resolution on January 31, 2019, to oppose the Citizenship Bill that proposed to fast-track the citizenship process for non-Muslims who allegedly fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan till December 31, 2014.
Mr. Kenye quit the post of NPF secretary general the following day, but did not resign from the party.
On Wednesday, the NPF’s Disciplinary Action Committee treated Mr. Kenye’s support to the Bill as an anti-party activity and decided to suspend him.
Mr. Kenye had earlier clarified that he had voted for the Bill as it granted exemption to Nagaland under provisions of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, that requires visitors to enter the State with an inner-line permit for a temporary period.
Ahead of the action against Mr. Kenye, NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu had said it would be of no use to argue over the merits and demerits of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at this juncture. The people, he added, must understand the true colour of the CAA with long-term perspective.
“The effect of the CAA will come very slowly in the form of population politics. People will not feel the pain instantly, but it will develop with very low intensity and without much awareness for a long time. It will keep on increasing its impact and intensity year by year in due course of time,” Mr. Liezietsu said.
