North-East Bandh HIGHLIGHTS: People protesting against Citizenship Amendment Bill in Tripura on Tuesday.
North-East Bandh HIGHLIGHTS: Deserted roads, closed educational institutions and banks, markets and vehicles set on fire, huge processions raising slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and clashes brought life in parts of Northeast to a grinding halt in wake of the 11-hour bandh call by North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of influential students’ bodies of the region.
With the contentious bill, which seeks to give citizenship to illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Guwahati, Jorhat, Pathshala, Dibrugarh, Morigaon and Lakhimpur in Assam simmered with protests, even resulting in clashes between police and agitators.
Samuel Jyrwa, chairman of the NESO, told The Indian Express that the Bill would open the floodgates for “illegal Bangladeshis” and signified a “dishonouring of the demands of the people of the Northeast”.
The CAB is a contentious issue in North-East India with influential socio-political groups and political parties holding it as a threat to the interests of the indigenous communities of the region. Earlier this year, several organisations observed a bandh on January 8 when the earlier Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed. However, the Bill lapsed as it was not introduced in Rajya Sabha. A new version was tabled on Lok Sabha on Monday.
In Pictures | Shutdown in North-East over Citizenship Bill
Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament. (Express photo by Anil Sharma)
Highlights
In Manu, a group of picketers got unruly and police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. Dhalai Superintendent of Police Kishor Debbarma said the police fired three rounds of blanks to bring situation under control. He claimed no one was injured in the police firing.
North Tripura Police SP Bhanupada Chakraborty was unavailable for his comments but an official from district police headquarters informed that clashes occurred at Anandabazaar village in Kanchanpur sub-division, where picketers set two small vehicles on fire and damaged nearly 25 shops.
The total shutdown called by the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) in the entire northeastern region opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill paralysed life in the state.
Unlike previous agitations, no large scale was witnessed this time. However, the shutdown remained effective both in hills and valley districts.
The shutdown was supported by the All Manipur Student’s Union (AMSU), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) and All Naga Students’ Association Manipur.
In the valley districts, the protest was spearheaded by AMSU imposing 15 hour total shutdown.
Anti-Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) strike held in Tripura by Twipra Students Federation (TSF), member of North East Students Organization (NESO), as part of its 11-hour Northeast Shutdown saw sporadic violence and clashes in several parts of the state on Tuesday.
Two simultaneous anti-CAB strikes were held here today including an indefinite strike of Joint Movement Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (JMACAB), JMACAB is a joint forum of different tribal political parties and civil society bodies which started indefinite Tripura Bandh against CAB on Monday.
An official from Tripura Police Headquarters informed indianexpress.com that 1721 picketers were detained from different parts of Tripura till latest reports came in at 5 PM. The highest number of agitators were detained at west Tripura.
Amid widespread protest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Assam, state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday welcomed the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in Lok Sabha describing it as a "historic moment"."The passage of the Bill in Lok Sabha is a historic moment for us all. It will not only give relief to six persecuted minority communities from three neighbouring countries but will also pave the way for constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam," Sonowal tweeted.
Tripura CM Biplab Deb says no effect of anti-CAB strike in state. He says tribals are protected from any effect of people who would be granted Citizenship under CAB and hence, strike is pointless.
CPI slams BJP Manipur for holding a pro-CAB rally during a shutdown called by AMSU, terming it as a shameful act. CPI state secretary L Sotinkumar said, "Chief Minister N Biren Singh is misleading the people by claiming that ILP will protect Manipur."
"This Bill will do more harm than good which is why some of our neighbouring states where there is ILP are vehemently opposing it," he added.
“We will continue to fight against the citizenship amendment bill even if passed. This bill is communal and dictatorial in nature. A bill which is the foundation for BJP’s dream of building Hindu Rashtra."
In Tripura, anti-CAB protesters shout 'Biplab Deb Bangladeshi, go back, go back'. A protester says Deb's parents were Bangladeshi and he should go back to his country.
Amid shutdown called by protesters, Tripura has suspended SMS and mobile internet connectivity for 48-hours, starting 2 pm today.
Bhaichung Bhutia, Hamro Sikkim Party: We are deeply disappointed with the CAB. The Bill has not excluded Sikkim compared to other North-East states like Nagaland, Meghalaya and a few others. This Bill is surely a way of diluting Article 371F in long run.
National award-winning filmmaker Jahnu Barua has decided not to participate in the 8th Assam State Film Awards and Film Festival to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. “People don’t realize the implications this Bill can have 50 years later. It is dangerous and that’s why I have decided to withdraw my film,” says Barua over the phone from Mumbai. “We are a society where language is one of the main drivers — and this Bill will lead to the destruction of language and culture of Assam in the next 50 to 100 years.” Read more
Educational institutions, banks, commercial establishments and markets were closed while public and private vehicles were off the road in the state in response to the bandh called by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), a constituent of North East Students' Union. Attendances in government offices were almost nil during the bandh which began at 5 am in the morning, officials said. The bandh is peaceful except a few stray incidents of stone pelting by bandh supporters, Capital Superintendent of Police (SP) Tumme Amo informed PTI
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. Protestors burnt tyres and blocked national highways to stop movement of vehicles in various parts of Assam. (PTI)
Train services across Assam were affected as picketers squatted on tracks,a spokesperson of the Railways said. Some had also attempted to block the entrance to NF Railway headquarters here and Divisional Railway Manager's office at Rangia in Kamrup district, he said.
While protests are underway in parts of North-east, BJP and its allies in Manipur organised a thanksgiving for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the passage of CAB in Lok Sabha
"Last night at midnight, India’s tryst with bigotry and narrow-minded exclusion was confirmed as the CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha. Our forefathers gave their lifeblood for our freedom. In that freedom, is enshrined the right to equality, and the right to freedom of religion… We will fight against this government’s agenda to systematically destroy our constitution and undo the fundamental premise on which our country was built with all our might," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted,
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today criticised Centre over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as a move that would "destroy the foundation" of India. His criticism comes after his party's new ally in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena, backed the government on passing the bill in the Lok Sabha.
"The #CAB is an attack on the Indian constitution. Anyone who supports it is attacking and attempting to destroy the foundation of our nation," Gandhi tweeted
In Guwahati's Maligaon area a government-run bus was pelted with stones and a scooter set on fire, PTI reported, quoting sources. Huge processions were taken out in different areas of Guwahati, with protesters raising slogans against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. Agitators had a scuffle with security forces near the Secretariat and Assembly buildings in Guwahati, when they were prevented from moving forward, police sources said.
"The bandh has been 100 per cent successful because everyone knows that this Bill affects the North-East. Even the ILP areas and Sixth Schedule areas, which have been exempted from CAB, are following the bandh. It’s not like we want to call a band and disrupt normal life, we have been compelled to take this step. We have protested democratically before but Delhi doesn’t value that. So bandh is the only option for us," Lurinjyoti Gogoi, AASU, General Secretary said.
In Tripura, the Joint Movement Against Citizenship Amendment Bill is holding an infinite bandh and has also extended support to the North-East shutdown today. Appealing protesters to remain calm, the Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, the Royal scion and chairperson of the joint movement against CAB said: "There is no use in attacking innocent shopkeepers and civilians. We will be going to Supreme Court with the best lawyers in the country to scrap this Citizenship Amendment Bill. I am hearing of news of some violence and rumours in our state. Kindly don't spread or be a part of this. Don't take out your anger towards the politicians on the common people of our state, please."
Meanwhile, a total of 16 left-leaning organisations such as the SFI, DYFI, AIDWA, AISF, AISA and the IPTA has also called a 12-hour bandh in Assam, coinciding with the NESO-organised shutdown. Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University in the state have postponed all examinations scheduled for tomorrow.
All business establishments, school colleges are closed in Manipur. Public transportation also remains suspended. (Express photo/Jimmy Levion)
Parties and organisations such as the Congress, AIUDF, All Assam Students Union, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union, Khasi Students Union and the Naga Students Federation are backing the NESO to observe the bandh.
The Manipur People Against CAB (Manpac), which was spearheading the agitation in the state, has announced suspension of its stir on Monday, after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the to be brought under Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime. However, the All Moran Students' Union (AMSU) is still supporting the bandh called by NESO in Manipur.
Welcome to The Indian Express' live blog on protests in North-East. Several areas in North-East, except Nagaland, are observing an 11-hour bandh call to protest against the Citizenship Bill. Follow this space to track the latest