Protest against CAB begins in Assam; Akhil Gogoi arrested

Dimapur, Oct. 11 (EMN):  Guwahati Police on Friday arrested Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi for protesting near DC Kamrup (M) office against the much-debated Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).

According to reports, a large number of protestors led by Gogoi  took to the streets in Guwahati, to oppose the NDA government’s decision to re-table the contentious bill in the Parliament, witnessed the arrest of their leader.

Gogoi  along with 70 other regional organisations took out the protest as part of their awareness campaign against CAB to highlight on the ‘hazardous effects’ this bill can have on the tribal communities of the Northeast, said the report.

It may be mentioned that social organisations and civil societies of Northeast have been organising several protest rallies and public meetings on the issue in the past few weeks.

The CAB seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after seven years of residence instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document.

It may be reminded that during his recent visit to Mizoram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured NGO Coordination Committee (NCC) that the redrafted CAB would be shared with the NCC and other concerned parties while adding the Inner Line Permit (ILP) would be incorporated in the CAB, as per their demands.