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Protests erupt against citizenship Bill in State

DIBRUGARH, Jan 7 - The Centre�s move on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 led to protests in the district, as several organisations took to streets today both in the city and in suburban areas.

The district unit of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) staged demonstration with black flags. They took out protest march with black flags from their office in Chowkidinghee to the residence of the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Incidentally, the Chief Minister had left from his residence. Demanding withdrawal of the Bill, the AASU activists burnt down a copy of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 on the Mancotta Road as a symbolic protest.

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS)-led 70 organisations of the district also staged demonstration at Thana Chariali. They raised black flags and also burnt a copy of the Bill near the Dibrugarh Sadar PS.

In Rajgarh town within Tingkhong LAC, the CPI (ML) staged a protest with 120-feet-long black banner, demanding scrapping of the controversial Bill. The protesters marched from their party branch office to Swahid Bedi intersection as part of their �Dhikar Divas�. �We will not allow �Hindu Nation� agenda of the RSS and BJP. We will continue our agitation until the Bill is withdrawn,� said Bitupan Bokolial, general secretary, CPI (ML), Dibrugarh district.

Elsewhere in Naharkatia, members of the AASU unit and the AJYCP unit staged separate protests against the Bill. While AASU burnt a copy of the Bill in front of their Office near Railway level crossing, the AJYCP staged a semi-nude protest in front of the office of the Circle Officer, Naharkatia.

Meanwhile, the media fraternity of Dibrugarh has also reiterated its opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. Both the Dibrugarh Press Club and Greater Dibrugarh Press Club today reiterated that they stand opposed to the controversial Bill.

RAHA : The Raha unit of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) today burnt the copies of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 at Raha Chariali as part of their ongoing protest against the bill. More than 100 local AASU activists took part in the protest and raised slogans against the governments at the Centre and the State.

SIVASAGAR: The Left and Democratic Front led by the CPI Sivasagar district council staged a two-hour protest demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner�s office today in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The protesters led by Dharma Baruah and Kanak Gogoi demanded immediate scrapping of the alleged controversial bill to safeguard the identity of the Assamese.

Meanwhile, members of AASU, Sivasagar unit led by Pradip Borgohain, adviser and Sarat Hazarika, education secretary, AASU central committee, demonstrated its opposition to the bill by burning its copies at Station Chariali, ASTC point, Dolmukh Chariali and Muktinath Chariali.

SILAPATHAR : Several organisations of Silapathar protested against the citizenship Bill at Silapathar and its adjoining areas today. The All Assam Students� Union (AASU) burnt a copy of the Bill at Silapathar town today. The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, Anuchusit Jati Chatra Santha and ATASU observed a �black day� today. They took out a bike rally shouting slogans against the BJP government. The Sissiborgaon Block Congress took out a torch rally through the heart of the town protesting the bill. The Demow Anchalik Chatra Santha and several organisations also protested the Bill. The organisations appealed to the people to observe the Assam bandh tomorrow.

NAGAON: Nagaon Police on Monday picked up six leaders of various organisations during a protest meet against the Citizenship (amendment) Bill in Nagaon town.

Those who have been picked up are Deepmoni Bora, president, AJYCP, Nagaon Zila Samiti, Pragjyotish Bania, in charge general secretary, AJYCP, Nagaon Zila Samiti, Kashyap Phukan, Gautam Bora, Jiten Bora, KMSS leaders and Bokul Hussain of the Garia Moria Desiya Parishad. They were released in the evening. Hundreds of protesters representing various organisations had proceeded towards the Office of the Deputy Commissioner holding black flags and tried to enter the office but were prevented by the police. The police later on brought the situation under control by picking up six leaders of the organisations.

Earlier, several organisations led by AJYCP, KMSS, Goria Moria Desiya Parishad etc., observed �black day� in Nagaon town and hoisted black flags at the Nagaon Swahid Bhavan premises.

The protesters shouted slogans against Prime Minister Modi and the BJP-led government and along with the district body of the AASU, the protesters burnt copies of the Bill at various places in the district.

They also organised a protest rally at Nagaon Swahid Bhavan auditorium and termed the saffron party as a betrayer party which is ready to hammer the last nail into the coffin of the indigenous Assamese people in Assam. Meanwhile, hundreds of agitators representing various organisations proceeded towards the Office of the Deputy Commissioner holding black flags and tried to enter the office but were prevented by the police. The police later on brought the situation under control by picking up all those six leaders of the organizations.

SILCHAR: Along with the rest of the State and also in various parts of the country, voices supporting and opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 created lot of buzz on a day the JPC tabled the Bill in Parliament.

In Silchar, while the district unit of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) along with some other bodies burnt a copy of the Bill and shouted slogans against it, members of North East Linguistic and Ethnic Coordination Committee (NELECC) congratulated the efforts of the Central and State Government for placing the Bill.

Cadres of CPM Cachar district committee also took out a rally near the Khudiram Bose point and spoke against the placing of the Bill in the Parliament.

JORHAT: Members of newly-constituted Chintan Mancha here today staged a demonstration in front of the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner�s office to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and tabling of the same by JPC in the Parliament.

The protesters shouted slogans against the BJP-led Governments at the Centre and in the State.

Jagiroad: Like in other regions of the State, the Jagiroad Anchalik Students� Union and Tiwa Students� Union today jointly burnt the copy of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 at the town area here. The protesters demanded immediate scrapping of the Bill. The Jagiroad Block Congress also took out a torch rally at the town area here this evening demanding scrapping of the Bill.

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