Protests and arrests continue after ‘Cursed’ day in Assam

Guwahati, January 9, 2019:

Altogether 71 organizations continued their protest in Guwahati and across Assam as the fear of being betrayed in the name of religion and politics post the central BJP government’s decision to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 continues to expedite.

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Janata Bhawan in Dispur, Guwahati today witnessed another massive agitation from members of these organizations, just a day after the whole state went on a standstill to oppose the Bill. The people off Assam termed the day, i.e. January 08 2019, as a ‘Cursed Day’ for the State.

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and 69 others took to the streets to once again confirm their strong opposition for the Bill. Not much to their surprise, they were stopped by local administrations and police continued arresting their members.

Among arrested includes AJYCP General Secretary Palash Changmai and a number of other influential leaders from these organizations. A number of members could be seen carrying the ‘Asomiya Gamusa’ to reflect the sentiments of regionalism that is deeply connected to people of this state.

As many as 1,200 protestors were arrested on January 08 following a statewide bandh across Assam.

Today, the police and administration have resorted to lathi charge on the peaceful protesters, which only resembles the BJP government’s non-tolerant take on issue and sentiments of Assamese people.

Apart from Assam, a number of regional organisations of the State have continued their protest for the second day running in front of Delhi’s Jantar Manatar. Leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC) are also strongly opposing the Bill in Rajya Sabha, where the Bill is likely to be passed today against the will of the people of Assam.

It may also be mentioned that the controversial Bill, first introduced in the lower house of the parliament in 2016, amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsee and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship in India.