'Parl panel on Home Affairs cancels visit to Assam, Meghalaya'

Amid the widespread protest across the Northeast against the amended Citizenship Act, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs on Monday postponed its scheduled official visit to Assam and Meghalaya indefinitely.

"The Tour programme of Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs to Shillong and Guwahati from December 18 to 21 has been postponed," an official release said.

"This was stated by the Development Commissioner for Hill Areas, Assam today," the statement said.

The parliament panel, which was to visit the two states, is examining the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill.

The Bill seeks to amend provisions related to the Finance Commission and the 6th schedule of the Constitution, which relates to the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

The panel was scheduled to examine the bill in the light of ground situation in the two states.

Assam, Meghalaya and other North Eastern states have been witnessing one of the most intense protests by the public in its history with widespread violence.

After the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday night, the states erupted in uncontrolled protests, in which agitators engaged in pitch battle in almost every major city or town, forcing the administration to impose curfew in several places.