Citizenship Bill protests HIGHLIGHTS: Two die in Guwahati in police fire

Two persons were shot dead by security forces in Guwahati, which has turned into a garrison town with Army, paramilitary and state police personnel present in every nook and corner

Two persons were killed on Thursday in police firing in Assam to quell protests against the citizenship bill with thousands descending on streets defying curfew as Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed his government was committed to safeguarding their rights.
 

Several towns and cities were placed under indefinite curfew, including Guwahati, the epicentre of protests, besides Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Dhekiajuli. Night curfew was imposed in Jorhat, Golaghat, Tinsukia and Charaideo districts, officials said.

In a series of tweets, in both Assamese and English, the prime minister said he personally and the central government are "totally committed to constitutionally safeguard the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people as per the spirit of Clause 6." Clause 6 of the Assam Accord guarantees safeguarding local rights, language and culture.

10:54 PM

Don't have any update: MEA on whether Guwahati will host Modi-Abe summit

 

As Assam reeled under violent protests over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, there was no clarity on whether the government will go ahead with the India-Japan annual summit in Guwahati from December 15-17 as planned.

 

"We don't have any update to share," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a weekly media briefing while replying to a volley of questions on the issue.

 

Last week, Kumar announced that the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will take place between December 15 and 17.

10:47 PM

Hundreds take to streets in Delhi as chorus against citizenship bill grows louder

Protests against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the national capital intensified on Thursday with hundreds of Delhi University students burning copies of the "unconstitutional" legislation and people raising anti-government slogans at India Gate.

10:25 PM

Guwahati police chief replaced, senior officers transferred amid CAB protests in Assam

In a major reshuffle, the Assam government on Thursday replaced the Guwahati Police commissioner and transferred several other senior officers, amid violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, officials said.

 

9:43 PM

CAB will not be implemented in Kerala, says Pinarayi Vijayan

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the Citizenship (Amendment) bill, passed by Parliament, will not be implemented in the state, as hundreds of students of a local college in north Kerala took out a march and burnt the effigy of Home minister Amit Shah.

 

9:35 PM

ABSU demands steps by Centre to allay fears of tribals and indegenous people post CAB

The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) on Thursday demanded that the Centre take immediate steps to allay fears of tribal and indigenous people of Assam and the North East post the passage of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill.

 

The ABSU in a statement demanded that the Centre also take appropriate steps to ensure fool proof constitutional safeguards for the tribal and indigenous people of Assam and the North East to protect and preserve tribal and indigenous people's identity, language, land and rights.

9:11 PM

People pour out on Assam streets against CAB despite curfew

Sentiments ran high against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment Bill) in Assam on Thursday, as people came out on the streets despite inconveniences caused by imposition of curfew on parts of the state.

 

As the day wore on, a large number of people assembled at several places in the state capital, many holding placards and raising slogans against the emotive legislation.

8:50 PM

8:05 PM

2 die in Guwahati as police open fire on citizenship bill protestors

At least two persons died due to bullet injuries on Thursday after police opened fire on protesters in Assam's Guwahati, officials said.

 

An official of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital told PTI that one person was "brought dead" and another succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment.

8:04 PM

Anti-CAB protests: Mobile Internet, messaging services withdrawn in Meghalaya

The Meghalaya government on Thursday withdrew mobile Internet and messaging services across the state for the next 48 hours due to deteriorating law and order situation triggered by protests over contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, officials said.

 

The services have been withdrawn since 5 pm Thursday.

7:25 PM

Protest at India Gate against citizenship amendment bill

A motley group of protesters gathered at the India Gate here protesting against the "divisive" Citizenship Amendment Bill which passed the Rajya Sabha hurdle on Wednesday.

 

The protesters raised anti-BJP and anti-government slogans and asked the President not to sign the Bill into a law. The police appealed the playcard-carrying protesters to disperse but to no avail.

7:09 PM

Delhi University students hold protest, burn copies of citizenship bill

Delhi University students burnt copies of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill here on Thursday as part of a protest against the proposed legislation which they dubbed as "unconstitutional" and "communal".

 

The protest at the university's Art Faculty was called by various students' bodies, including the Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India, and autonomous women students' collective Pinjra Tod, under the banner of Collective-DU.

6:57 PM

Assam CM appeals to people not to worry about CAB

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in a video appeal to the people of the state Thursday said that they need not worry about the Citizenship Amendment Bill as their traditional culture, language, political and land rights will be protected by implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

6:46 PM

Presidency University students protest against citizenship bill

Students of the Presidency University took out a march protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and tried to demonstrate outside the BJP's state headquarters but were stopped midway.

 

6:45 PM

Assam DGP appeals to agitators to exercise restraint

Assam Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta Thursday appealed to people agitating against the Citizenship Amendment Bill despite the indefinite curfew in the city to exercise restraint and not to take the law into their hands.

6:11 PM

Assam governor appeals for calm amid violent protests

Governor Jagdish Mukhi on Thursday appealed to the people to maintain peace in Assam, the hotbed of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill