GUWAHATI: Acclaimed Manipuri filmmaker, Aribam Syam Sharma returned his Padma Shri conferred to him in 2006 in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on February 2.
Speaking to a national newspaper, Times of India, Sharma said that when the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, it caused him “tremendous pain” and as a mark of his protest, he will return his Padma Shri to the Government of India. He feels that it is about time the Centre listens to the voice of the northeast and if the bill becomes an Act, the future of indigenous people of the northeast, especially Manipur will become bleak.
It should be noted that this news comes days after a similar protest when families of 76 of the 855 Assam Movement martyrs returned awards given to them by CM, Sarbananda Sonowal.