Citizenship Bill Row: 24 Protesters Arrested in Assam

Guwahati, December 12, 2019:

According to reports, the protests against the contentious Citizenship Bill have turned violent in several parts of Assam, and most notably in Guwahati.

It has been reported that the protests have taken a violent turn in several parts of the region, and irate protesters clashed with security personnel, who had been deployed to restore law-and-order situation in the burning streets of Guwahati city. During the ensuing clashes between the forces, as many as 24 agitators have been arrested by the local authorities.

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Yesterday saw the torching of several vehicles near the Assam Secretariat in Dispur. Today, protesters and security personnel renewed the clashes,with a particular altercation in Guwahati resulting in injury to four protesters.

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Similar acts of violence have been reported from across the Northeast region. Vehicles have been torched in Meghalaya capital city Shillong, while life in Agartala has come to complete standstill due to the 'bandh' called by the Congress party against 'police brutality'.

Disregarding the curfew that had been imposed since 6:15 pm on Wednesday, almost a lakh descended on Latasil Playground at Uzanbazar area in Guwahati. People from all walks of life -- including student leaders, intellectuals, actors, musicians -- congregated at the field to voice their opposition to the Bill.

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It may be mentioned here that the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha last night with a robust tally of votes (22), which has added further fuel to the fire raging in the Northeast, and most notably in Assam.

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