Slew of protests against Citizenship Bill

23:28 December 10

Social Democratic Party of India protests against CAB

A day after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed by the Lok Sabha with 311 votes in favour of, and 80 against it, Social Democratic Party of India workers today gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and burnt the copies of the contentious bill. While burning the copies of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, SDPI national secretary Dr Tasleem Rehmani said that the party would not tolerate any law which impeaches the rights of the people.
He asked why does the government insists on granting citizenship to the Hindu refugees belonging to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who are already living in India as refugees.

"Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is not only communal but it also changes the regional demography which is against the basic federal structure of the country. The contentious bill is sharp contravention of fundamental rights guaranteed in articles 14, 16 and 25. It also violets schedule 6 of the Constitution of India which Bratz regional autonomy to maintain cultural and regional identities," SDPI national secretary added.

19:11 December 10

Clash between protesters and police, one jawan injured

The Assam Police on Tuesday resorted to lathicharge after a clash arises between the police and the local people protesting against the Citizen Amendment Bill in Jorhat district of Assam. 

A policeman got wounded in the clash after the protestors pelted stones on him. The injured personnel then shifted to a local hospital for treatment.

19:10 December 10

Internet services suspended in Tripura over anti-CAB protests

Internet services have been suspended in Tripura for 48 hours from 2 pm on Tuesday in view of the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, an official notification said.
The step has been taken to prevent mischief mongers from spreading rumours. 

17:39 December 10

Protest against CAB at Jantar Mantar

Hundreds of people from North East including students, gathered near Jantar Mantar here on Tuesday to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and the proposal for nationwide implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“The CAB represents Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s and Savarkar’s two-nation theory, and will alter the very character of India,” said Sujita Dey, a protestor during the protest.

17:08 December 10

Won't support Bill till we get clarity on Sena queries: Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the Shiv Sena won't back the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha till there is clarity on the party's queries posed in the Lok Sabha.

Thackeray told reporters that a detailed discussion and debate on the Bill was necessary.

The Modi government needs to worry about the economy, job crisis and rising cost of living, especially the onions price rise, more than the implementation of the Bill, he said. "We need to change this notion that one who supports the Bill and the BJP is a patriot and one who opposes it is anti-national. The government should answer all the issues raised on the Bill," he said.

16:29 December 10

Arunachal: AAPSU holds protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Tuesday announced an 11-hour statewide bandh in support of the North East Students' Organisation's (NESO) decision to shut down the entire Northeast region, except Nagaland, to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019.

Addressing media, AAPSU vice-president Meje Taku said, "The AAPSU stands with the NESO and the people of the Northeast region in the fight against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The AAPSU is with the NESO's decision to shut down the Northeast against the Centre for passing the Bill in Lok Sabha."

"The shutdown is for the cause of the Northeast's indigenous people and the greater interest of the region. We appeal to every individual to support the NESO and the AAPSU movement. The BJP government at the Centre passed the Bill despite strong opposition from the northeastern states," he added.

Asserting that AAPSU will stand with NESO, Taku said, "Although Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that the CAB would not be applicable to Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime states like Arunachal, Mizoram, and Nagaland, AAPSU's stance on the matter is very clear and it will stand with NESO and its decision."

13:05 December 10

Guwahati students hold protest against CAB

Various organisations continue to protest in Guwahati against Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Students from different universities here on Tuesday held a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 and lent solidarity to the Assam bandh called for today by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 30 other organisations.

"We are fighting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 which was passed by Lok Sabha yesterday. CAB is violating the constitution which will not be accepted. CAB will be harmful to our community"

A shutdown has also been called against the bill in Imphal, Manipur. Assamese actors Barsha Rani Bishaya and Utpal Das also present.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in Lok Sabha where 391 members were present and voting.

The bill will be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, according to sources.

It seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees who came from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014. 

12:41 December 10

Massive protest across Northeast to ban CAB

A student while protesting against CAB said in Assam's Lakhimpur said "We are warning BJP to ban the Citizenship Amendment Bill otherwise, we will continue the protest" 

12:21 December 10

Police resorted to Lathi charge on protesters at Guwahati

The police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse agitators in Guwahati.

After Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (CAB) in the Lok Sabha, various organisations, students of Assam including All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) staged massive protests across the state against the bill and termed it as unconstitutional and communal.

10:54 December 10

Locals stage a protest in Tripura against the controversial bill

Locals stage a protest in Tripura

Tripura: Protest being held in Agartala against Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019.

Protests against the contentious CAB have intensified in Northeast ahead of the BJP-led NDA government at Centre tabling it in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Different student organizations and opposition parties have been protesting against the legislation since morning.

10:49 December 10

ULFA-I flag found hoisted in Dibrugarh

Flags of the proscribed ULFA-I were found in Assam's Dibrugarh, hoisted by the unknown person in Assam's Dibrugarh
 

10:41 December 10

AASU protests against CAB intensifies

Different student organizations from the state have come out spontaneously to protest against the Bill. 

North East Students Organisation (NESO) along with 16 other ethnic groups called for 11-hour Northeast bandh on Tuesday.

Yesterday, angry protesters put fire on the truck at Dibrugarh.

In the wake of the protests in the Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Section 144, which prohibits an assembly of more than four people in an area, has been imposed in many parts of Assam.
 

09:10 December 10

LS passes CAB, protest continues in Assam

Jorabat:People stage protest in Jorabat against Citizenship Amendment Bill which was passed in Lok Sabha, yesterday. All the seven states of Northeast are part of the Bandh called to protest against CAB.

Anger over the CAB boiled over in Assam on Monday, with protesters reaching the gates to the residences of the chief minister.

The universities cancelled exams scheduled for Tuesday in anticipation of more trouble during a dawn-to-dusk northeast bandh.

09:09 December 10

AASU holds protest in Dibrugarh

Students' organisation calls for 11-hour shutdown over CAB

Dibrugarh: All Assam Students' Union (AASU) holds a protest in Dibrugarh against Citizenship Amendment Bill which was passed in Lok Sabha.

The North East Students' Organisation (NESO), backed by various other bodies and political parties, will observe the shutdown till 5 pm against the Bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

09:04 December 10

Students' organisation calls for 11-hour shutdown over CAB in Guwahati

Guwahati: Shops closed in Guwahati following a 11-hour 'bandh' call by North East Students' Organisation (NESO) and All Assam Students' Union (AASU) against Citizenship Amendment Bill which was passed in Lok Sabha, yesterday.

The members of the All Assam Student's Union even burnt effigies and copies of the bill in Guwahati.

08:41 December 10

Northeast bandh to protest against CAB

Guwahati: The 11-hour Northeast bandh called by an umbrella body of students' organisations of the region to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill began at 5 am on Tuesday.

The North East Students' Organisation (NESO), backed by various other bodies and political parties, will observe the shutdown till 4 pm against the Bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Security was beefed up in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.

Nagaland has been exempted from the purview of the bandh in view of the ongoing Hornbill Festival there.

The Manipur People Against CAB (Manpac), which was spearheading the agitation in the state, has announced suspension of its stir on Monday after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the to be brought under Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there. They will be given Indian citizenship after residing in the country for five years, instead of 11 years which is the current norm.

Indigenous people of the Northeastern states are scared that the entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.

Various organisations of the region have launched a series of agitations against the Bill.

Parties and organisations such as the Congress, AIUDF, All Assam Students Union, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union, Khasi Students Union and the Naga Students Federation are backing the NESO to observe the bandh.

A total of 16 left-leaning organisations such as the SFI, DYFI, AIDWA, AISF, AISA and the IPTA has also called a 12-hour bandh in Assam, coinciding with the NESO-organised shutdown.

Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University in the state have postponed all examinations scheduled for tomorrow.

The Bill would not be applicable to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where the ILP system exists and those tribal regions of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura which are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

This is the second region-wise bandh in this issue this year. Several organisations observed a bandh on January 8 when the earlier Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed.

However, the Bill lapsed as it was not introduced in Rajya Sabha. A new version was tabled on Lok Sabha on Monday.