Protests against bill in India’s northeast

Street protests broke out across north eastern states of India yesterday against the government's proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that seeks to give citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Protest rallies coincided with the first day of the winter session of parliament during which the bill is proposed to be introduced.

Sit-ins demonstrations were also launched in various places of Guwahati and effigies of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were burnt in different parts of Assam in protest against the Bill.

The protests were held by the North East Students Organisation (NESO), the north eastern region's umbrella organization of students unions, its constituents, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, youth body Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and Left-Democratic Mancha, Assam among others.

The NESO submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah against the Bill.

The NESO and the AASU along with other outfits took out a big rally from its headquarters at Uzan Bazar in Guwahati to the Raj Bhawan shouting slogans and waving banners and placards against the Bill.