People protesting Citizenship Bill stopped from proceeding towards Assam secretariat

Thousands of people attempted to march towards the Assam Secretariat here Friday against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, but were halted by the security forces.

People from 70 organisations were part of the march held as part of their 'Janata Bhawan Gherao' programme.

On not being stopped security personnel, the protestors squatted on the Last Gate Road, behind the secretariat, blocking traffic on the busy thoroughfare for several hours, police said.

Members and supporters of the organisations, led by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP), had congregated here Friday morning to gherao the secretariat.

Barricades had been placed around the government building and personnel from the Assam Police and the CRPF were deployed in large numbers to prevent the protestors from staging their 'Sankalpa Shikha Jatra' against the Bill.

The demonstrators held a massive rally on the road with leaders of the organisations speaking against the BJP-led governments at the state and the Centre for "imposing the bill on Assam", despite prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr P C imposed here since Thursday.

They also criticised Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for "remaining silent on the issue despite repeated protests against the bill".

On Guwahati Police Commissioner Pradip Chandra Saloi's request to the demonstrators to withdraw their protest, the agitators demanded that he carry their message to the government for holding talks with them on the Bill, within seven days.

When Saloi assured them that he would convey their message to the government, the demonstrators cleared the road.

KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi, however, said, "Our agitation programmes will continue against the Bill".

He also accused the state government of "working against the interest of the indigenous people of the state by imposing the bill threatening the identity, language, culture of the indigenous people and unity of Assam".

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.

Speaking on the occasion, All Minority Students Union (AAMSU) president Ajijur Rahman said, as per the Assam Accord of 1985, Hindus or Muslims from Bangladesh and Pakistan who came to the state after March 24, 1971 would have to leave.

Large sections of people, organisations in the northeast and leading political party AGP, which is an ally of the ruling BJP, are opposed to the Bill.

They claim that it will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.

AJYCP general secretary Palash Changmai accused the the chief minister of functioning "under the orders of the RSS" and said Sonowal should "give up his Hitlerian rule as it is against the people of Assam."
All Tai Ahom Students' Union (ATASU) president Litul Buragohain criticised the chief minister "for his silence on the bill."