Imphal: Manipur PCC on Wednesday opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and demanded protection of the state's integrity against the backdrop of the Naga Framework Agreement.

At the protest meeting, organised at the Congress office complex and attended by thousands of party members, former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said the two issues would "burn" Manipur.

He asked central leaders and Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh to assure that the bill, proposed to be passed in Parliament's monsoon session, would not harm the people and the social structure of the state. "Manipur will be drowned because of this bill. Future generations will not forgive us if we fail to protect Manipur from influx of immigrants guaranteed by the bill."

Former deputy chief minister Gaikhangam alleged that the bill was a "hidden agenda" of the RSS. He said it would pave the way for Manipur's major communities to "swallow" the smaller ones. "It will burn India to ashes. Withdraw it immediately," he said.

The speakers said the bill, which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, will create chaos in the country, especially in the Northeast.

The speakers also demanded protection of the state from any possible negative outcome of the Framework Agreement, signed between the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and the Centre after decades of peace talks.

Ibobi Singh said the Centre had not disclosed the contents of the agreement despite repeated appeals. He said the Centre says there is nothing in the agreement that will affect Manipur's territorial integrity. "Then why did interlocutor R.N. Ravi declare on national media that creation of an autonomous territorial council for the Nagas could be a possible outcome of the Naga peace accord? How can a state be created within a state?" he asked.

He said the NSCN (I-M) had initially demanded an independent Naga country, then Naga integration and now an autonomous Naga territorial council. He said there can be no solution on community lines as the Kukis also want a separate land and the valley groups are demanding pre-merger status. "If different communities of Manipur demand a separate council or state, where will Manipur be?" he asked.

Gaikhangam asked the BJP-led Union and state governments to clarify their stand on Ravi's statement.

The meeting resolved to demand protection of Manipur's integrity - territorial, administrative, financial, cultural and political, to urge the Centre and all political parties to safeguard the state's interest and to submit a memorandum to the joint parliamentary committee on the bill for its withdrawal.