Trains Cancelled, Army Deployed & Internet Suspended As Northeast Boils Over Citizenship Bill
Protests erupted across the Northeast since early morning against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday and is currently being debated in the Rajya Sabha.
Even as the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, that has been called ¡®divisive¡¯ and ¡®unconstitutional¡¯ by members of civil society and the intelligentsia, was passed by the Rajya Sabha after being hotly debated and argued upon in the Upper House of the parliament, its ripples have sent the people on the streets in the northeastern flank of the country.
Assam turned into a battleground on Wednesday with massive and violent protests across the state against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, but the government pushed the contentious legislation through Parliament overruling a vociferous Opposition that alleged it was against the idea of India as a secular nation.
As thousands of people including students hit the streets in Assam, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells and baton-charged the protesters leaving many of them injured, while curfew was imposed in Guwahati and a clampdown on internet services was announced across several districts of the state.
Earlier in the day, Home Minister Amit Shah moved the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha and sought to assuage the concerns of Indian Muslims by stating that they have nothing to fear as they are and will remain citizens of India.
No one will harass members of the community, the minister stressed as he moved the bill that provides Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who illegally migrated to India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Police personnel fire tear gas to disperse the students protesting against the governments Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), in Guwahati on December 11, 2019. AFP Photo
Shah said the proposed legislation will give persecuted minorities of the three neighbouring nations the right to education, jobs and livelihood. Several MPs of opposition parties moved motions to send the bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday, to the select committee of the Upper House for detailed consideration before it is passed.
Trains cancelled, rescheduled
In view of the massive protests against the much controversial Bill in Assam, the Northeast Frontier Railway on Wednesday cancelled many trains and rescheduled a few that originate from the state. As per news agency PTI, at least 14 trains have either been cancelled, short terminated or diverted anticipating "disruptions in train movement," NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda said in a statement.
Out of these, eight trains have been "completely" cancelled, while the rest have been short terminated, the statement said. The Avadh Assam Express is rescheduled to originate from New Tinsukia and will remain cancelled between Dibrugarh and New Tinsukia. Similarly, the LedoGuwahati Intercity Express, Dibrugarh FurketingGuwahati Intercity Express, NaharlagunTinsukia Intercity Express and DekargaonDibrugarh Intercity-Express have been fully cancelled.
Protests erupted across the state since early morning against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday and is currently being debated in the Rajya Sabha.
Police personnel fire tear gas to disperse the students protesting against the governments Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), in Guwahati on December 11, 2019. AFP photo
On Tuesday, normal life across Assam had come to a standstill due to an 11-hour North East bandh called by the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of all the student bodies of the northeast, and a 12-hour Assam bandh by the Left-Democratic organisations.
Army deployed to quell protests
By early afternoon on Wednesday, reports announcing the deployment of army in parts of Tripura surfaced on news channels. As of now, Tripura and Assam have already come under prohibitory orders as army personnel have taken to major spots in order to quell the protests.
Sources attributed by NDTV have confirmed that at least two columns have been dispatched to the Kanchanpur and Manu areas of the state, while a third has been sent to Bongaingon in Assam. Notably, one column consists of at least 70 soldiers.
Activists shout slogans as they hold placards to protest against the government's Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), in Allahabad on December 10, 2019. AFP photo
The deployment of the army came amid several incidents of violence that have surfaced across the northeastern states. In the meanwhile, news agency PTI reported that 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.
Internet Suspended
The BJP government in Tripura has 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 better 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.
