Rail blockade by Matua Mahasangha in protest against NRC draft

All India Matua Mahasangha, an organisation of backward classes, today resorted to rail blockade at different railway stations in Eastern Railway's Sealdah section claiming that the complete draft of the NRC will leave many people homeless.

Protesting the exclusion of 40 lakh people from the complete draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, the All India Matua Mahasangha blocked train movement at different stations during peak office hours.

An Eastern Railway spokesperson said train movement in the Sealdah north section has been blocked by the agitators at different stations since 8.30 am, hampering services in Sealdah-Hasnabad, Sealdah-Naihati lines.

"Train movement has been affected by blockades owing to non-railway issue. We are requesting and trying to convince the agitators to lift the blockades," ER spokesperson R N Mahapatra said.

Blockades were also reported at Thakurnagar, Sandalia, Palta and some other stations.

The complete draft of the NRC in Assam was published on July 30.