A number of organisations including the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) took out protest rallies across Assam to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
The protestors burnt the effigies of Modi and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
A group of KMSS members showed black flag in front of Sonowal's SUV at Dibrugarh and briefly interrupted the high- security convoy, forcing the NSG commandos to disembark and clear the way with the help of the CM's personal security provided by Assam Police.
Hundreds of members of a women's organisations took everyone by surprise when they gheraoed the BJP state office at Hengerabari area in Guwahati without prior intimation to anyone to lodge their protest against the proposed move by the BJP-led Centre.
"The decision to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is a historic injustice. It is a total dishonour shown to the people of Assam," Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Ripun Bora said at Tezpur.
Addressing a press conference, he said the party will launch a series of agitational programmes under 'Jagao Assam, Bachao Assam' and will demonstrate outside the Parliament on Monday.
The prime minister announced at a rally at Silchar in Assam on Friday tht the government is moving ahead with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. I
The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955. It seeks to grant citizenship to people from minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document.
The Bill has been opposed by a large section of people and organisations in the Northeast.
The Asomiya Nari Samaj Adviser Balika Pegu said around 300 women members of the organisation came and blocked the BJP state headquarter for almost three hours.
They were later forcibly taken away by police.
"It was a sudden plan. Women came from all districts, including from far flung Sadiya. We will take more aggressive protest against this Bill. The CM lied to us by saying that he would protect Jati-Mati-Bheti (community, land, homeland)," she added.
At Dibrugarh, Sonowal attended the 61st Biennial State Conference of All Assam Ahom Association as the Chief Guest and said: "Our land is our pride and we will not allow that Assamese pride and prestige to get threatened at any cost.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
