Widespread Protest Against Citizenship Bill, Normal Life came to standstill in Assam

Guwahati: Widespread protest and 11 hour Northeast Bandh by NESO, AASU and 30 other indigenous organizations against proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 paralyzed normal life in Guwahati and other parts of the district in Assam since the morning hours today.

Following the situations, Guwahati Commissioner of Police, Deepak Kumar near AASU office (Sahiyaad Niyas) in Uzan Bazaar informed the media that police personnel has been deployed in every nooks and corner of the city to maintain the law and order situations.

On the other hand, speaking to the media, a tempo driver alleged that four bandh supporters had tried to break the glasses of his vehicle and also tried to assault him, however, he managed to escape thereafter.

Other city bus drivers in Guwahati alleged the picketers had tried to disburse the situation near Dighulipukhuri area in front of the city police, but, the officials failed to get the hold of the situation on time. The bus was reportedly carrying around 10 to 15 passengers.

Situations in other parts of the Districts:

In Lakhimpur, the members of the Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad staged a protest by writing slogans with their blood. The organization used blades to cut their skin. The body also raised several slogans during their protest.

In Dibrugarh, a massive protest was staged by bandh supporters in front of BJP office at Mohanaghat. tyres burnt in front of the office. Signboard of the office has also been burnt. Stones pelted on police forces. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Two police persons were reported injured. Meanwhile, police arrested 12 protesters.

Similarly, in Morigaon, Muslim Chatra Santha Association supporting the 11 hour NE bandh protested against Citizen Amendment Bill 2016 & burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal at Moirabari.

Also, in Nagaon’s Batadrava Constituency, Anusuchita Jaati Sangrami Yuwa Parishad and Assam Jatiyadabadi Yuwa Chatra Parishad launched a massive protest against the bill. The bodies had also leveled PM Modi and CM Sonowal as the enemy of the Assamese community.

In Golaghat, Bandh supporters vandalized BJP party office and burned the posters and banners of BJP today.

In Tinsukia, Bandh supporters’ gheraoed MLA Sanjay Kisan residence and burned tyres to support the 11 hr NE Bandh. The supporters also chanted slogans in front of National Highway 37.

Similar kinds of situations were witnessed in Jorhat, Duliajan, Tinsukia and other parts of the state as well.

It is to be noted that MP Rameshwar Telli’s residence was also gheraoed by the bandh supporters in Duliajan today.

Other Northeastern States

At a time when there are rampant protests in the state of Assam against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, here at Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh most of the public including the vegetable vendors were not aware of the NE bandh.

In Meghalaya’s Shillong, normal life came to a standstill on Tuesday during the dawn to dusk shutdown called by the North East Student’s Organisation (NESO) in protest against the central government’s decision to go ahead with the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The Khasi Student’s Union, Garo Student’s Union, which is part of NESO and several other organizations are supporting the bandh in Meghalaya. It may be mentioned that no untoward incident was reported during the bandh hour.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said that his government, which is supported by the BJP, to oppose the move by the BJP-led NDA government to bring an amendment to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.