With the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, protests have erupted in various Northeastern states.
Indigenous people of the Northeastern states fear that the move to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees people will endanger the former's identity and livelihood.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there. They will be given Indian citizenship after residing in the country for five years, instead of 11 years which is the current norm.
The Bill would not be applicable to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where the Inner Line Permit system notified under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 exists and those tribal regions of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura which are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Bandh agitators clash with security forces in Assam
Normal life came to a halt on Tuesday in Assam's Brahmaputra Valley due to a statewide bandh called by two students' organizations in protest against the CAB.
The 11-hour shutdown was called by the All Assam Students' Union and the North East Students' Organisation - an apex body of student unions in the region.
Shops, markets and business establishments kept shutters down, while educational and financial institutions remained closed for the day, the official sources stated.
Agitatators had 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 squatted on tracks,a spokesperson of the Railways 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.
All scheduled examinations were rescheduled by the 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.
Protestors burnt tyres and blocked national highways to stop movement of vehicles in various parts of Assam.
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.
Agitatators set fire to market in Tripura
Agitators participating in a bandh called by NESO against the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha set a market, where shops were owned mostly by non-tribals, on fire in Tripura's Dhalai district on Tuesday, police said.
However, no one was injured in the incident and the blaze at Manughat market was doused, a senior police officer said.
Train services in the entire state came to a complete halt and vehicular movement was affected.
Students' union in Manipur observes 15-hr bandh
The All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) on Tuesday called for a total shutdown in the state from 3 am to 6 pm to protest against the bill.
The union, a constituent of North East Student's Organisation (NESO), said it would intensify its agitation if the bill was not immediately withdrawn.
Normal life hit in Arunachal Pradesh
Normal life came to a halt in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday due to the 11-hour North East bandh called by NESO.
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.
Protests in Delhi
The national capital witnessed protest demonstrations by political parties, students' bodies and civil society groups over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Tuesday.
The Northeast Students' Union is staging a protest against the bill at Jantar Mantar. People from various walks of life and across organisations have joined the stir.
The CPI(M)'s Delhi state committee members also held a protest at the same venue against the contentious bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Communist Party of India (Marxist) MPs had earlier held a protest near the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises.
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.
(With inputs from PTI.)
