Assam rages over CAB, Army conducts flag march in Guwahati
The people in Guwahati on Thursday refused to obey the curfew imposed in the state to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The situation remained tense throughout Assam, with the Army conducting flag march in the city. Guwahati, the epicentre of anti-CAB protests, was placed under indefinite curfew last night while the Army was called in at four places and Assam Rifles personnel were deployed in Tripura on Wednesday as the two northeastern states plunged into chaos over the hugely emotive Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB.
All Assam Student's Union has called for a protest at 11 am in Guwahati. Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti appealed to the people to come out on the road for peaceful protest. The people were on the road in the night despite curfew.
Army conducted a flag march in the city on Thursday morning. Vehicles were stranded in various cities of Assam due to heavy blockade. Half-a dozen vehicles were burnt. The houses of BJP and AGP leaders were attacked in various parts of the state.
"Curfew is on till further orders, We are monitoring the situation very closely. So far the situation is under control,' Assam Police Additional Director General (Law and Order) Mukesh Agrawal told PTI.
In the meantime, all trains from Guwahati towards upper Assam region have been cancelled, confiremed Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO), North Frontier Railway. As many as 12 companies of Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) have been dispatched to affected northeast regions last night to secure railway property.
Also taking to Twitter, IndiGo airline said that all flights to/from Dibrugarh are cancelled for today (12th Dec, 2019); flyers can choose an alternate flight or get a refund.
Late in the night, curfew was also imposed in Dibrugarh for an indefinite period as protesters targeted the houses of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union minister Rameswar Teli in the district.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Tuli said, "I am an Assamese, I will not do anything that may hurt the people of Assam. I want to assure everyone that Citizenship Amendmen tBill that has been passed will not affect the culture and language of Assam."
As tens of thousands of anti-CAB protesters descended on the streets of Assam on Wednesday, clashing with police and plunging the state into chaos of a magnitude unseen since the violent six-year movement by students that ended with the signing of the Assam accord, Guwahati was placed under curfew.
Assam has been on the boil ever since the CAB was tabled in Lok Sabha.
The contentious Bill which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was passed by Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Lok Sabha cleared the Bill on Monday.
(With PTI inputs)
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