Assam Bandh: Even as CM Sonowal hails CAB, agitators clash with security forces

Normal life came to a halt on Tuesday in Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley owing to a statewide bandh called by students’ unions and Left-democratic organisations in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.

The shutdown, led by the All Assam Students’ Union and the North East Students’ Organisation, has coincided with the bandh called by Left-leaning organizations, including SFI, DYFI, AIDWA, AISF and AISA.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal however took to Twitter to hail the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, calling it a “historic moment”.

The strike did not have much impact on the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley.

In Maligaon area of the city, a government-run bus was pelted with stones and a scooter set on fire, sources said.

Shops, markets and business establishments kept shutters down, while educational and financial institutions remained closed for the day, official sources stated.

Huge processions were taken out in different areas of Guwahati, with protesters raising slogans against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Agitators engaged in a scuffle with security forces near the Secretariat and Assembly buildings in Guwahati, when they were prevented from moving forward, police sources said.

Train services across Assam were affected as picketers blocked the tracks, a spokesperson of the Railways said.

Some of them also attempted to block the entrance to NF Railway headquarters here and Divisional Railway Manager’s office at Rangia in Kamrup district, he said.

Vehicles – both private and public – stayed off the roads, the official sources said, adding that government-run Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) buses plied between Guwahati city and the LGB airport here, with police escort.

Examinations were shelved and rescheduled by Universities in view of the bandh.

In Dibrugarh district, bandh supporters clashed with CISF personnel. Three of them sustained injuries as they tried to prevent the workers of Oil India Ltd (OIL) to enter office at Duliajan area.

Protesters burnt tyres and blocked national highways to stop movement of vehicles in various parts of Assam.

Actors and singers of the Assamese film industry organised a demonstration at Chandmari area here. Some of them also took part in a rally at Uzan Bazar area of the city.

Students of Gauhati University and Cotton University in Guwahati, along with those of Assam Agriculture University in Jorhat, took to the streets, seeking immediate withdrawal of the legislation.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, piloted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was comfortably passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday night as the ruling BJP enjoys a clear majority in the house.

According to Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, non- Muslim minorities, who fled religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and moved to the country before December 31, 2014, will be accorded Indian citizenship.

It, however, exempted tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura as included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution and areas covered under The Inner Line, notified under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

Shah has asserted that the Narendra Modi government was committed to protect the customs and culture of people of the region.

The legislation was passed by 311-80 votes in the Lower House of the Parliament.-PTI news