GUWAHATI: The protestors of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (CAB) continued to hit the streets in Assam. They burnt tyres on roads and highways to prevent vehicular movement, attacked vehicles and blocked the movement of trains.
Normal life otherwise came to a grinding halt in the whole of Northeast as the influential North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) called for an 11-hour Northeast bandh against the CAB.
All government offices, banks and financial institutes, shops and commercial establishments and schools and colleges remained shut.
Tempers are being frayed in Assam as the protestors said the Assamese and other indigenous communities were faced with a grave threat to their land, language and culture due to the CAB.
A two-wheeler was set on fire in Guwahati while vehicles were attacked in different parts of the state by the protestors. Some passenger trains were stranded in different parts of Upper Assam as the protestors squatted on the tracks.
In Guwahati, hundreds of people came out spontaneously and attempted to take out a march to Dispur, the seat of power. However, they were prevented on the way by the police and paramilitary forces.
There are reports about BJP workers and supporters being heckled in some parts of the state. Fearing trouble, the authorities in some districts have enforced Section 144 of the CrPC.
The protests are likely to get further intensified if the CAB is passed in the Rajya Sabha. It was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday night.