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An activist raises slogans at a protest by intellectuals and activists from Assam against Citizenship Amendment Bill at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI Photo )[/caption]
Guwahati, Jan. 14 (PTI): Black flags were waved at Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Majuli on Monday as protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill continued unabated in the state.
The CM arrived at the river island by a helicopter in the morning to participate in an official function.
As soon as he landed, the agitators shouted slogans against him and the Union government, demanding the withdrawal of the controversial bill, which seeks to grant nationality to non-muslims who fled religious persecution from three neighbouring countries and entered India before December 31, 2014.
The legislation which was passed by Lok Sabha last week is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha in the budget session.
Several protesters were taken into custody, while others were dispersed by the police.
On Sunday too, Sonowal was shown black flags by protesters of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) outside Kaziranga University, where he had gone to attend the convocation ceremony.
The AJYCP members also tonsured their heads at Jamugurihat in Sonitpur district to register their protest.
Meanwhile, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which pulled out of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, announced that it will launch a fresh agitation against the bill by taking out a protest rally on January 18 and observing a sit-in with 14 MLAs on January 24.
In Sibsagar district, journalists held a dharna against the bill at Nazira town which was joined by leader of the opposition in the state assembly Debabrata Saikia and several other prominent members of the society.
Students also organized a separate rally against the legislation in Sibsagar.
In Baksa district's Barama town, non-Bodo organisations blocked National Highway 31, seeking immediate revocation of the bill and 'Scheduled Tribe' status.
Meanwhile, the Srimanta Sankardeva Sangha, the largest Vaishnava organisation of the state, are divided over the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its annual session in Morigaon from February 6 to 9.
The chairman of the organisation has opined that the PM should not be invited under such circumstances, while its general secretary sought otherwise.
Modi, who attended the Sangha's session at Dergaon last year, has been invited this year too, but the Prime Minister's Office is yet to confirm his participation.
Subdued Bihu festivities in Assam amid stir against Citizenship Bill
Protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill have cast a shadow on the three-day Assamese Magh or Bhogali Bihu festivities that began on Monday with agitators from several indigenous organisations urging people to keep the celebrations subdued.
Magh Bihu marks the end of the harvesting season in the month of Maagha. The three-day festival is celebrated with lavish feasts and bonfires.
The members of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), which is spearheading the agitation along with 100 other organisations, are observing a 24-hour hunger strike to register their dissent.
KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi said the protesters had decided to skip the celebrations this year.
He added that he would give the community feast, "Uruka", a miss and go without food throughout the day.
Forum Against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill (FACAAB) president Hiren Gohain, along with its convenor Manjit Mahanta, requested the public to burn copies of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 1955 and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the fire of the traditional "meji" (structures made of hay).
"We have to protect our traditions, but at the same time, we have to continue with our protests against the anti- constitutional bill," they said in a statement.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trying all means to get the bill passed in the Rajya Sabha and therefore, "we must not forget that all our traditions and culture will be wiped out, if the bill is passed", the FACAAB statement said.
"We humbly appeal to people to not indulge in loud celebrations, but observe the festivities keeping in mind our indigenous traditions and culture," it added.
