Guwahati: Cotton University students hold protest against CAB

Students of Cotton University here on Tuesday held a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 and lent solidarity to the Assam bandh called for today by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 30 other organisations.

"We are fighting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 which was passed by Lok Sabha yesterday. We are opposing the bill as it is unconstitutional, communal and against the interest of the indigenous people of Assam and North East India. It will violate the Assam accord. So, today AASU along with 30 organisations has called for Assam bandh and we are supporting this bandh," a student of Cotton University told ANI.

"The main reason for opposing the bill is that it is unconstitutional. It is against the secular fabric of the nation. They are bringing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is based on religion which will divide the society," another student of Cotton University said.

A shutdown has also been called against the bill in Imphal, Manipur.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in Lok Sabha where 391 members were present and voting.

The bill will be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, according to sources.

It seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees who came from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.