Silchar Daily丨 News 丨09 JANUARY
1. Citizenship Bill okayed in LS, N-E rises in anger
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| protest against citizenship bill in dibrugarh |
ANOTHER FRONT BJP says it is honouring its poll promise, but most Northeastern states protest move
NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship (Amendment) BILL. But not without resistance from Opposition bodies, including the Congress and constituents of the Left Front. The Bill proposes to allow citizenship to non-Muslims final Pakistan. Bangladesh and Afghanistan. There was also dissent in the Northeast, where many parties, including the BJP sallies. contended that the Bill was "against the fundamental aspects of the Indian constitution''. Incidentally, the AGP. a regional ally, exited Assam's BJP-led ruling coalition on Monday over the Bill. The State has seen protest ever since the Centre said it would go ahead with the Bill Congress and theTrinamool staged walkouts after Home Minister Rajnath Singh moved the Bill demanding it be sent again to a parliamentary panel. Mallikarjun Kharge said his party had too many reservations about the Bill "It has several shortcomings. If dangerous for the unity and intepitv of the country. There is
no inspect far the Assam Accord. Kindly resend it to select committee. If you don't, we saw no option but to walk out." Kharge said before leading his MPs out Saugata Roy of the TMC said the Bill was "divisive." "If it is passed, it will cause fires in the Northeast including Assam... Withdraw It If you can't do It. reconstitute the committee." he said. 'The committee didn't go to all places, so this Bill is incomplete," he said, adding
that his party lacked numbers In the panel but it had articulated its view point lie also said that Muslims had been left out of the minorities covered under the Bill's provisions.
"Make this BUI a secular Bill, Anybody who has come and facing religious prosecution should be accommodated." he said and added that minorities from Nepal and Sri Lanka should also be included in the Bill Earlier, moving tlie Bill Rajnath Singh said it would help migrants who had "faced problematic conditions" including religious persecution, in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
"Such migrants can apply for citizenship now." he said.But protests continued in Assam, with angry marchers burning copies of the legislation The Congress said the Bill
would create ethnic divisions across the Northeast and could lead to a resurgence of extremist groups. The BJP's allies. National People's Party (NPP) of Meghalaya and the Mizo National Front (MNF), too, opposed the BUI "We are supporting the bandh. Mizoram will be completely shut.
2.Economic blockade to protest C'ship bill in Assam.
GUWAHATI: .As many as 70 organisations, led by Krishak Muktiangram Samiti (KMSS). began an indefinite ‘economic blockade" in the state on Tuesday, protesting against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.The groups have affirmed that they would not allow locally produced oil. petroleum products, coal, forest products and limestone to be taken out of the state.It would also organise a state-wide protest on
Wednesday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is scheduled to be
moved by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for passage in the Lok Sabha.
Large sections of people in Assam and other northeastern states have been protesting against the bill saying it will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord under which any foreign national irrespective of religion, who had entered the state alter March 24.1971
should be deported. "From today, we have started our indefinite economic blockade in protest of the bill. We will not allow to take our resources out of the state." KMSS Adviser Akhil Gogoi said.
The supporters of the 70 organisations would hold protests in front of the offices and installations of Oil India Ltd and ONGC across the state, he added.
"Our aim is to prevent taking away oil, petroleum products, coal forest products and limestone from the state." Gogoi said.
Gogoi also said that protests will be held across the
district headquarters of the
state on Wednesday, but refused to divulge details.
When contacted, an Oil India official said the company has been appealing to the
agitators to spare the sector as it Is related to safety and hazardous materials, which
needs constant supervising by experts. "Also. 440 tea gardens run with our gas PSU firms like BVFCL. NEEPCO and APL too get our gas. Digboi and NRL Refineries get crude
from us So. the perception that all our products go out of the stale is not correct.
Most of our produce are consumed in the state itself and very little go out.” he added.
The official also said thatIf Oil India stops production, the power scenario of the state will worsen A spokesperson of ONGC said; 'This protest Is not against ONGC. but pertains
to some other issues During the blockade, we will work as per the prevailing law and
order situation at that point of time."
On Monday. KMSS and several organisations Horn Assam staged protests in Delhi outside Parliament against the Centre's move to amend the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, while the All Assam Students Union (AASU) observed it as 'Black Day’.
The Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the redrafted Citizenship (Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non Muslims from Bangladesh. Afghanistan and Pakistan.The fresh Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act.
1955 to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists. Jains. Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan. Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12. even if they do not possess any proper document.
3.Bandh against Citizenship Bill hits normal life in Assam, other NE states
Agitators dashed with the police, gheraoed Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's house at his native place in Dibrugarh. blocked National Highway's (NHs) and damaged vehicles In Assam during an 11-hour bandh called by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) to protest against live controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 The AASU activists
clashed with the police when they attempted lo ransack a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
office in Dibrugarh district, prompting the security forces to resort to lathicharge and
fire rubber bullets to disperse the protestors "Nobody was injured in the incident” said
the police. The AASU has called for a statewide bandh and it is being supported by
the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam on Monday Opposition Congress. All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) are also supporting the bandh. Normal life was hit in the Brahmaputra Valley and was partially affected In the Barak Valley due to a ‘North East bandh' called separately by the North East Students' Organisation (NKSO). an umbrella organisation of students' bodies in the region, of which the AASU is a constituent.The bandh called by the NESO on the same issue is being supported by over ICO organisations but Assam as well as In the other North Eastern states. The agitators gheraoed Sonowal's house in his home town. Dibrugarh to register their protest against the bill. They raised slogans that the Chief Minister had no reason to continue on his post as he could not protect the interests of the people of the state. ‘The protesters blocked
roads and National Highways by burning tyres and smashed the windshiekls of trucks, cars
and auto rickshaws at many places, including in Guwahati” said the police. The
picketers squatted on the rail way tracks at various places in Guwahati and Dibrugarh
district but the movement of trains, including that of the Delhibound Rajdhani Express anti the Kolkata-bound Kamrup Express, resumed after the Government Railway
Police (GRP) personnel removed them from the tracks,'' said railway sources.
There was no movement of goods laden trucks on all the National Highways, following an economic blockade call issued by the KMSS,” said sources "Private and government vehicles playing on the highways were being escorted by the police in convoys,” they
added "Banners and posters at a BJP office were set ablaze in Golaghat while a black dag
was put up at another office of the saffron party in Lakhimpur district" the police said.
AASU and NESO Chief Adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya told reporters. "If Meghalaya and Mizoram can adopt a cabinet resolution opposing the bill, why can't Assam do
the same''” Shops, markets, banks and oilier financial institutions kept their shutters down, educational institutions, private offices remained closed and private vehicles including long distance buses kept off' the roads in the Brahmaputra valley, the police and official sources said.
The attendance was thin in government offices as the employees laced difficulty'
hi reaching the workplace In the absence of adequate public transport, the sources
said. The bandh also evolved response in the Barak Valley, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on January' 4 that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. 2016 would
be passed In Parliament as soon as possible as a penance for past injustices.Thirty ethnic organisations. besides 89 other groups, along with the KMSS, have extended their support to the bandhThe NE handh called by the NESO Is being enforced by Its member organisations such as the Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP), (lie All Arunachal Pradesh
Students' Union (AAPSU), the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), the Garo Students' Union
(GSU), the Naga Students’ Federation (NSK), the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU)
and the Tripura Students’ Federation (TSF). The bandh has hit normal life in Mizoram,
Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. according to reports from these states.
4.Cachar, Karimganj reject AASU ; Hailakandi sees protests.
Even as most of the districts all over Assam remained closed in response to the bandh called by AASU, Cachar and Karimganj remained open as usual Traffic remained as usual in the districts although banks, post offices and other establishments were closed. There was a minor protest by left wingassociations who hit the streets lo voice their
dissent against the government and echo their support towards the 15-point demands.
The leaders of the trade unions and federations took out a rally from the Khudiram
Bose point and matched steps till Rangirkhari, Netajl point of the town raising slogans against the government's "misrule".The bandh was. however, received to mixed responses
in Hailakandi as shops and commercial establishments were majorly closed and traffic was off the road during the Bandh. AIUDF legislator Anwar Hussain Laskar was detained by
police while he tried to express his support to the bandh.
Lashing out at the Centre for moving this bill Iaskar said, ''January' 8 will be considered
as the darkest day in the history of Assam. The people of Assam will never forgive Modi government for bringing a communal legislation" Over 100 bandh supporters
including cadres and front line leaders of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti were arrested. Meanwhile, 37 people who went on to support the bandh in Badarpur were also arrested
by police. Around GO picketers were arrested by Karimganj police during Tuesday s nationwide protest against the anti-people policies of the Union Government. Sources Informed that the picketers were arrested while trying to put blockade at the Karimganj Railway station and stopping the Silchar Dharmanagar train Stray incidents of picketing were also noticed across the border town. However, sources added to inform that there was less impact of the bandh called by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and supported by the North East Students Orgaisation in protest against the Citizenship
Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Parliament.
5.13 agitators injured in protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill in Tripura.
AGARTALA At least 13 agitators were injured in scuffle with police when demonstrating
against the citizenship amendment bill 2016 on Tuesday in Madhav Bari area on Assam- Agartala national highway of Jirania under Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) in eastern part of the city.
Police clamped 144 of CrPC in the locality to manage the situation; however, police had in open fire oji the demonstrators after failing to control the mob in the afternoon.
According to report, out of the total Injured four persons received bullet injuries and two
of them were shifted to Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMO. Police however, detained as many as 23 protestors for triggering tension, attacking vehicles and setting nearby houses on fire. After declaring 144, police resorted to charge baton on the demonstrators but they' reportedly retaliated. Then police used tear gas and water cannon, which
also did not have much affect on the protestors Finally, police open fire which hit as many as four youths and two of them are stated to be critical. As port of the strike called
by NESO, besides, tribal based parties like opposition INPT and BJFs partner in the government here IPFT. Youth Indigenous Peoples' Front of Tripura andAH Tripura Indeginous Students Association extended supported the moveand railed dawn to dusk
general strike ADC area They tribal organisations have also organised blockade m several other places under Jirania and Mohanpur subdivisions in West Tripura. The strike did not have much impact because most of the private vehicles have been stayed off the road due to nationwide strike of had unions protesting labour reforms The tribal volunteers blockade road in Madhav Bari area since morning on National Highway and Hejamara on alternative highway. Despite attempts the vehicle movements on the mads were disrupted since morning. Situation turned worst when police wanted to clear the road and the agitators resorted to attack on police.
“The tension continues in Madhav Bari area till afternoon and adjacent locations of
Jirania and senior police officials along with security personnel have been rushed to the spot but detailed report has not yet reached." said AIGP (Law and order) Subrata Chakraborty.
