'Black day' protest in NE, varsity prohibits protest

Members of North East Students' Organisation (NESO) on Saturday observed 'black day' to protest against Tuesday's firing on five students in Tripura, who blocked a road to protest NDA's Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

As the protest against the bill continued, Assam University, situated in Silchar in South Assam issued an order prohibiting any kind of protest or dharna in its campus without prior permission. The majority in South Assam, inhibited by Bengalis are in favour of the bill.

NESO members staged protests against Tripura government and demanded a judicial inquiry into police firing. This comes a day after a delegation of the students' forum was barred by Tripura police from meeting the injured in a hospital in Agartala.

BJP government in Tripura has imposed Section 144 of Crpc, that prohibits the gathering of more than five persons and blocked Internet connectivity in parts of the state fearing more protest. NESO advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya on Friday said emergency-like situation prevailed in Tripura.

At least six members of Tripura Students' Federation were injured after police fired at them when they blocked a highway and burnt tyre, during the bandh called by NESO.

The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to offer citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Sikhs, who had migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to 'religious persecution,' after a stay of six years.

Many organisations in Assam are opposed to the bill saying this would make the 'large Hindu illegal migrants' already living in Assam Indian citizens. They fear the move will reduce them into minority and nullify Assam Accord of 1985 that promised to detect, delete and deport illegal migrants by updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) with March 24, 1971, as the cut off date, irrespective of religion.prohibits.