At least two persons were killed and about nine were injured on December 12, Thursday, after the police opened fire on protesters in Guwahati in Assam. The Centre has withdrawn 10 CRPF companies from Jammu-Kashmir and deployed them in Assam.
The situation in Northeast states remains critical after the contentious Citizenship Bill was passed in Parliament and later conceded by the President. The Guwahati-Shillong Road which proselytized into a mini-war zone as protestors vandalised shops and buildings, burnt tyres and clashed with security forces.
Police had to resort to firing bullets and tear gas in Guwahati as the protestors turned violent and set vehicles ablaze and vandalised government buildings.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets, crowds attacked the offices of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, the Asom Gana Parishad, and the houses of the MLAs belonging to the ruling dispensation. BJP legislator Binod Hazarika’s house in Dibrugarh was also set on fire and Batadraba MLA Angoorlata Deka’s house in Morigaon district was damaged in stone-throwing.
As the protests intensified in Assam, the internet services were suspended for 48 hours on Thursday. An advisory has also been given to TV channels on December 11, Wednesday, to refrain from broadcasting protests and “anti-national” content, while, the protesters only sang Assam’s state song and Jan Gan Man together. Apart from communication, flights are also cancelled, while train and bus services have also taken a hit.
Amidst the boiling tension in Assam, the Assam government has replaced the Guwahati Police commissioner and a senior officer responsible for law and order in the state.
City police chief Deepak Kumar was removed and Munna Prasad Gupta was appointed in his place, Commissioner and Secretary (Home and Political) Ashutosh Agnihotri told PTI. Munna Gupta was earlier posted in the Special Protection Group.
Assam’s additional general of police (Law and Order) Mukesh Agarwal has been transferred as ADGP (CID). GP Singh has replaced him, officials told PTI.
Are you also thinking why didn’t UPA Govt do the same thing to Anna and gang of cheaters??
When peaceful protesters are shot at mercilessly….#democracy dies several times
Very Sad Very Disturbing@narendramodi continues his rant unperturbed..#AssamProtest #AssamAgainstCAB pic.twitter.com/ydKxCQvwIR
— RK (@RK_Insight) December 13, 2019
Why Is Assam Protesting?
Assam is protesting against the CAB as people in Assam feel concerned and believe that the bill violates the Assam Accord 1985, which was signed between the then government of India and student unions of Assam.
The bill is not applicable in areas that fall under the Inner Line Permit system to safeguard the rights of indigenous people of Northeast. Regions that come under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution too have been placed beyond the purview of CAB. However, only seven out of 33 districts in Assam meet the criteria under the Sixth Schedule. CAB will be applied to the rest of Assam.
Also Read: ‘CAB Will Not Be Implemented In Our State’: Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal Chief Ministers
