Guwahati: With the introduction of the Citizenship (Amendment Bill) in Lok Sabha, students of the northeastern states have intensified their agitation further with 16 Left leaning organisations also calling for a 12-hour Assam bandh on Tuesday.
The North East Students Organisation (NESO) has already called for a 11-hour North East bandh from 5am on the same issue.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and its sister organisations have also extended their support to the bandh, called by these organisations.
However, a bandh called by various tribal students’ bodies such as Sootea, Moran and Koch-Rajbongshi failed to make any major impact on Monday, though it was supported by KMSS.
In a joint statement, 16 Left-leaning organisations, including SFI, DYFI, AIDWA, AISF, AISA and IPTA, demanded “scrapping of the Bill” and called for “the 12-hour Assam bandh” from 5am on Tuesday.
The Assam State Jamiat Ulama Hind has also supported the North East bandh, called by NESO.
However, Nagaland has been exempted from the purview of the bandh in view of the ongoing Hornbill Festival.
Bogged down by the mass resignations and protests at various places, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) on Monday decided to postpone its December 11 General Council meeting. In a related development, Assamese actor Ravi Sarma on Monday resigned from the BJP in protest against the controversial Bill.
The Gauhati University on Monday decided to postpone examinations in order to avoid any untoward incidents in the campus as students had intensified their agitations. The protesters pasted anti-CAB posters outside the residence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his Cabinet colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma.
AGP MP Birendra Prasad Baishya, who was avoiding the media, said, “I also oppose CAB. It violates the Assam Accord that had assured to grant constitutional safeguard and protection to indigenous people.” The angry protestors also blocked trains at various places.
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has also extended its support to the Assam bandh called by the North East Students’ Organisation on December 10.
A delegation of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee met former DGP Harekrishna Deka, educationist Udayaditya Bharali and senior journalist Monoj Kumar Goswami.
The Asom Nagarik Samaj also took out a rally from Lakhidhar Bora Kshetra to Chhaygaon in Kamrup district to sensitise the public about the harmful effects of the Bill.
