Citizenship Bill Row: NESO-called 'Bandh' Paralyzes Life in Assam

Guwahati, January 10, 2019:

The Northeast Students' Union (NESO) called 'bandh' on Wednesday has brought life to a standstill in Guwahati city of Assam. The 'bandh', which has been called to oppose the proposed Citizenship Bill will be in effect from 5 am in the morning till 4 pm in the evening.

In Guwahati city, the impact of the 'bandh' has been felt in various pockets and according to reports, student activists of the the AASU have already taken to the streets to enforce the 'bandh'. Agitators can be seen burning tires and raising slogans across the city.

Meanwhile, very few people can be seen on the streets of the city, which wear a deserted look. It has been reported that the 'bandh' supporters have also turned rowdy in places, and vehicles have been vandalized.

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However, the parts of Nagaland which are celebrating the ‘Hornbill Festival’ will be exempted from the ‘bandh’. In Nagaland, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) will be staging a protest in front of the Governor's office.

It may be mentioned here that a situation of chaos and unrest prevails in the states of Northeast India after the passage of the contentious Citizenship Bill in the Lok Sabha.

The Bill was passed with 311 'ayes' and 80 'noes' at the Lower House. After a heated discussion lasting 12 hours, the Bill was finally tabled, and eventually passed without much of a fuss. However, it was vehemently condemned by the opposition parties, who have termed it as "unconstitutional" and "communal". The Bill is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha later today.

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