Citizenship Act protests: Assam's Satras urge people to hoist black flags outside houses
MAJULI: The heads of Satras, the Vaishnavite socio-cultural centres of Assam, hit the streets on Friday demanding repeal of the amended Citizenship Act and urged people to hoist black flags in front of their houses in protest against the Act.
The Satradhikar of Auniati Satra, Pitambar Deva Goswami led the agitation, which was joined by hundreds of residents of the world's largest river island Majuli, the Assembly seat of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
"We do not accept the CAB. Even if you impose it forcefully on us, it will not dissolve with the sentiments of the Assamese people. The Bill has already become an Act and it will pollute the Assamese community and language," Goswami told reporters here.
All the Satras and the people of Majuli and Assam want this Act to be repealed as soon as possible, he said.
"Till the Act is repealed, I request all the people of Assam to hoist black flags in front of their houses with 'No CAB' written on it," Goswami said.
He also appealed to the chief minister "not to kill more people", after three people died in alleged police firing during agitations against the Act.
Goswami strongly condemned the assault on the staff of a private news channel inside their office allegedly by security forces on Thursday night, saying, "It is wrong to dominate a democratic protest."
Satradhikar of Kamalabari Satra, Janardan Deb Goswami condemned the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Parliament and asked the central government to repeal the Act.
"When the people of Assam are on roads protesting the Act, the state government is sleeping," a Vaishnavite follower said at the protest site.