#Citizenship (Amendment) Bill : North East Protests Fiercely With 11 Hour Bandh

Picture : Twitter / ANI

Though the contentious bill was passed by Lok Sabha and now awaits the Rajya Sabha test , North East Students’ Organisation, backed by various other bodies and political parties, are observing a 11 hour bandh till 4 pm against the Bill . Clearly the bill is not going to be all smooth as expected. Tough ask ahead for Amit Shah how to douse the fire.

Security was beefed up in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.

Nagaland has been exempted from the purview of the bandh in view of the ongoing Hornbill Festival there.

The Manipur People Against CAB, 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 regime.

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.

Indigenous people of the northeastern states are scared that the entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.

Various organisations of the region have launched a series of agitations against the Bill.

Parties and organisations such as the Congress, All India United Democratic Front, 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.

A total of 16 left-leaning organisations has also called a 12-hour bandh in Assam, coinciding with the NESO-organised shutdown.