The situation in the eastern and north eastern states, which were rocked by large scale protests against the amended Citizenship Act after the passage of the Bill in Parliament, was peaceful on Friday with no report of any demonstration or violence from any state in the region.
Peaceful protests and rallies against the amended citizenship law were held across West Bengal, where no major incidents of vandalism and arson, rail or road blockade were reported.
Police continued raids and arrests in connection with cases related to the violence that rocked the state during the protests over the amended Citizenship Act and train services were partially restored in some sectors.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been in the forefront of protests against the proposed NRC and the amended citizenship law said the agitation must continue till the Centre revokes the Act.
She also appealed to Prime Minister Modi and the Centre not to behave in a "stubborn way" and concede to the democratic protest and withdraw the CAA and NRC.
In Shillong, the curfew was relaxed for 16 hours as protests subsided after the Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday urging the Centre to extend Inner Line Permit to the state under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Act, 1873, to safeguard the indigenous population.
The ILP if implemented in Meghalaya, would keep the state out of the purview of the amended citizenship law.
Curfew was eased from 5 am to 9 pm at Sadar and Lumdiengjri police station areas. Night curfew will, however, remain in force, an official said.
Internet services were restored on Friday in Assam, which was rocked by violence and large scale protests over the amendment, after nine days of its suspension.
Broadband services have resumed in the state from Wednesday and the indefinite curfew in various areas has been withdrawn or relaxed.
The Assam police urged people to be cautious while posting or sharing information on the social media and said action will be taken as per law against those violating peace and harmony in the state.
As many as 99 cases have been registered in various police stations in Guwahati so far, and 112 people arrested on charges of rioting, vandalism, arson and attempt to murder, the police said.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal allayed fears over the amended Citizenship Act and said he will not allow anyone to harm the rights and honour of the state's indigenous population.
He also clarified that no one will be able to move to Assam from Bangladesh by means of the amended Act and insisted that the number of applicants for citizenship would be "negligible".
"... Only those staying among us for decades (having fled Bangladesh) due to religious persecution can apply for Indian citizenship," he said and maintained that a section of people were misleading others by claiming that 1.5 crore refugees from Bangladesh will be settled in the land of the indigenous people of Assam.
"It is certain that granting of citizenship cannot have any impact on our social construct. Clause 6 of the Assam Accord grants constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people," he said.
He also took out a peace rally at Nalbari, along with his ministers, including Himanta Biswa Sarma.
AASU, which spearheaded the agitation, took out a simultaneous rally in Nalbari calling it 'Bajra Ninad' (War Cry) and demanded that the state government pressurise the Centre to revoke the CAA. Other organisations too took out rallies across Assam against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Silpi Samaj, the artistes society which is at the forefront of the agitation along with AASU, organised a rally at Hajo in lower Assam, while a 'Raj Bhawan Chalo' was organised by All Assam Lawyers Association demanding the withdrawal of the Act.
A torchlight procession was taken out on Friday evening by Sanmilita Songram Parishad, a platform of 51 organisations formed to demand the revocation of the Act.
In Patna, which witnessed violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act on December 15, the situation was peaceful.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asserted that the National Register for Citizens will not be implemented in the state.
"Kaahe ka NRC? Bilkul laagu nahin hoga" (NRC, what for? Will not at all be implemented), Kumar, who heads a coalition government of the JD(U) with BJP, said to queries by journalists.
He became the first chief minister from the NDA camp to have voiced disapproval of the proposed move to have an all India NRC.
The opposition RJD has called a Bihar bandh against the amended Act on Saturday.
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