Guwahati: Police detained more than 300 members of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), including its leader Akhil Gogoi, during BJP national president Amit Shah's visit here, for participating in a black-flag protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Guwahati.
The KMSS members protested across the city and released black balloons near the meeting site at Panjabari.
The police detained the activists from 9am to 10am, before Shah checked out from LGBI Airport.
Earlier, the KMSS had announced that it would observe Sunday as a Black Day for Assam in protest against the citizenship bill, as the BJP-led central government had pushed for its implementation.
Commissioner of police, Guwahati, Hiren Chandra Nath, said more than 300 KMSS members were detained from five places, namely Panjabari, Azara, Panbazar, Dispur and Sonapur.
Akhil and more than 250 members were detained from near Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, the venue of the meeting in which Shah participated.
They were detained at the fourth Assam Police Battalion headquarters at Kahilipara here.
KMSS general secretary Dharya Konwar is being detained at Sonaram High School field in Bharalumukh.
Members of the Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti, the student wing of the KMSS, were also detained.
"It is shameful that Shah came to Assam as part of the campaign for the 2019 general election at the very moment when the people of Assam are struggling against the citizenship bill. So we are in the streets today," Akhil said during the protest.
"It is very unfortunate that Assam Police supported the citizenship bill by detaining us. It is not good for Assam. It is undemocratic. However, no one can stop us. We will carry out more protests," he added.
Moreover, police commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath said, "Those people were detained because they tried to break the law. Section 144 of IPC was imposed and these people violated it. They will be released after 6pm."
However, Nath said there was no confrontation reported between the BJP and KMSS workers.
The City Bus Workers' Association and Cab Operators' Association here also supported the protest.
BJP workers of Assam on Sunday gathered in the city to welcome Shah.
