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The state of Assam has come to a standstill in the wake of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) being passed by the LokSabha with 311 votes. Protestors have stirred up in rage and the agitation has now reached the State Secretariat.
Thousands of people had taken to the streets yesterday itself, after the Bill was tabled in the LokSabha. Three ethnic groups had called for a strike against it and had garnered tremendous support from protestors.
However, the situation worsened after the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha at midnight. Today, the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) and All Assam Students Union (AASU), along with the Left, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and other democratic parties, had called for a ‘bandh’ to oppose CAB 2019.
A total bandh prevailed from East to West Assam – from Sadiya to Dhubri, with no public vehicles plying over the state. According to reports, a bike was burned down by agitators in the heart of the city in Hatigaon, Guwahati. Eventually, after reports in the media, some private vehicles that were running, went off the roads too. Train services were disrupted, with over 70% of the trains being cancelled. Corporate offices and other organizations too were shut in the light of the bandh.
At 3 pm, the situation worsened with agitators attacking the residence of BJP member and Guwahati Lok Sabha MP Queen Ojha; allegedly entering the compound of the house. Later, protestors, mostly the general public that was not affiliated to any particular group, came out spontaneously and marched to attack the residence of influential state Cabinet Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma.
A huge number of people, including AASU members, charged to the Assam Secretariat area trying to attack MLA quarters, while also gheraoing the convoy of Assam education minister Siddharth Bhattacharya following which he escaped from the spot.
Keshab Mahanta, Cabinet Minister for Science and Technology who had wished to attend the Shahid Diwas (martyr’s day) organised by AASU, escaped from the venue at Swahid Nyas after being rebuked and chased away by protestors.
In more than 50 places in Guwahati, heavy public protests erupted across all district and sub-divisional headquarters, with agitators raising “anti-CAB” and “anti-BJP” slogans in opposition of the Bill.
In Bijni, tension broke out as bandh supporters torched vegetables at shops in defiance of their opening during the bandh. In Bongaigaon, the situation is still tense with news of CAB supporters allegedly having attacked anti-CAB protestors in the area. In Dhubri district’s Bilasipara, CAB supporters and anti-CAB protestors burst forth in a scuffle deteriorating matters further.
All over the state, with the heightened intensity of the agitation, a scuffle broke out between security forces and agitating groups. The police had to resort to lathi charge in Maligaon, Adabari and Ganeshpuri to pacify the agitators.
In Dispur too, events took a violent turn with the police using lathi charge on agitating groups to disperse them, thereby injuring many. However, the police has failed to dampen their spirit and the protestors are currently staging a ‘dharna’, a sit-in demonstration, shouting anti-CAB slogans at the MLA hostel in the area.
At 3:45 PM, a public mob of not less than 10,000 people mobilized in front of the BJP state office at Hengerabari was pushed back by security personnel in a bid to maintain law and order across the state.
The situation, worsening rapidly, is similar throughout the state – through its interior regions as well as at the State’s headquarters in the city.
In Tripura’s Dhalai district, a public mob turned violent inviting fire from the police in which Bethel Tripura was injured seriously. Following this, the Tripura government has cut-off internet and mobile services in the state for 48 hours to bring the situation under control.
Though some parties in power are supporting the CAB, the public has come down heavily in opposition to the same, taking to the streets to express displeasure over the government’s decision to impose it on the citizens of India.
Currently, the government has imposed Section 144 all over the state and security measures have been tightened in the light of the current turbulence that has been witnessed all over.
In solidarity with the protestors, all members belonging to the performing arts industry – be it actors, singers or artists have taken a unanimous decision to oppose the unconstitutional CAB. They are staging a ‘dharna’ at Chandmari in Guwahati city and have categorically stated that they will boycott all government programmes till the CAB is not withdrawn. Any artist found to be overstepping this decision will be boycotted by the members of the industry. They have also decided to not be a part of the Indo-Japan meet to be held in Assam from December 15 – 17 which will see Indian PM Modi and Japan PM Shinzo Abe visiting the state.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday has seen stiff opposition from people all over India. If this bill becomes a law, it is sure to destroy the secular fabric of the country as it will bring with itself long-lasting, unfathomable and irreversible repercussions that will only further push the minorities to the peripheries eventually changing the picture of a democratic nation.
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