Friday, March 29, 2024
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Anti-CAB protests rock North East

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Guwahati/ Agartala/ Itanagar/ Kohima/ Imphal: Large parts of the northeast on Tuesday simmered with protests by students’ unions and Left-democratic organisations against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha.
A day before the divisive legislation is tabled in the Rajya Sabha, normal life was paralysed in Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley during the shutdown, led by the All Assam Students’ Union and the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO). The strike coincided with the bandh called by Left- leaning organisations, including the SFI, DYFI, AIDWA, AISF and AISA.
Huge processions were taken out in different areas of Guwahati, with protesters raising slogans against the emotive legislation. Agitators engaged in scuffle with security forces near the Secretariat and Assembly buildings in Assam when they were prevented from moving forward, police sources said. In Dibrugarh district, bandh supporters clashed with CISF personnel. Three protesters sustained injuries as they tried to prevent workers of Oil India Ltd (OIL) from entering their offices in Duliajan. Train services across Assam were affected as picketers blocked the tracks, a spokesperson for the Railways said. Examinations were shelved and rescheduled by universities because of the bandh.
The strike, however, had little impact in Bengali- dominated Barak Valley.
A two-month-old ailing child died on way to a hospital when the ambulance carrying the baby got stuck in a road blockade, while about 40 people were injured in clashes in three places of Tripura during an 11-hour bandh to protest against the contentious bill on Tuesday, police said.
The state’s BJP government suspended Internet service for 48 hours to prevent mischief mongers from spreading rumours in the state that witnessed skirmishes between tribals and non-tribals and at least one incident of arson. The police had to fire four rounds in the air to disperse clashing groups at Bishramganj in Sepahijala district.
Around 15 people were injured in the clash at Bishramganj where the ambulance got stuck in a road blockade leading to the baby’s death.
The seriously ill child was being taken from Udaipur in Gomati district to Ambassa in Dhalai district for treatment when the incident occurred, police said. Besides Bishramganj, violence between tribals and non-tribals occurred at Kanchanpur in North Tripura district and Manughat Bazar in Dhalai district.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in the three areas. A large group of bandh supporters entered a tribal village in Anandabazar area of North Tripura district and attacked its people, forcing many villagers to seek refuge in the local police station.
“Six Tripura State Rifles personnel and at least 15 villagers were injured in the clash,” Subdivisional Magistrate of Kanchapur, Abhedananda Baidya, said.
At Manughat in Dhalai district, at least four persons were injured in a clash between bandh supporters and shop keepers. A market in which shops are owned mostly by non- tribals, was set on fire there, police said. However, no casualty was reported in the incident.
The state government issued a notification suspending Internet service for the next 48 hours from 2 pm on Tuesday to stop rumours being spread.
Educational institutions, banks, commercial establishments and markets were closed while public and private vehicles were off the roads in most places of Arunachal Pradesh in response to the strike called by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU).
Attendance in government offices was almost nil during the bandh which began at 5 am, officials said.
The All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) observed a total shutdown in the state from 3 am to 6 pm, with the organisation warning that it would intensify its agitation if the bill was not immediately withdrawn.
Members of Naga Students Federation (NSF) staged a sit-in outside Raj Bhavan even as the NESO exempted the state from the stir, in view of the Hornbill Festival.
Raising slogans against the legislation, the NSF sought its immediate withdrawal, outside Raj Bhavan here.
Volunteers from various colleges, along with former NESO general secretary NSN Lotha, also joined the sit-in that lasted for one-and-half hours.
The CAB piloted by Home Minister Amit Shah was passed by the Lok Sabha with an overwhelming majority late Monday night. (PTI)

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