Duliajan: The activists of several organisations on Friday staged a sit-in at Duliajan Pepoltol Tiniali in Assam's Dibrugarh district to protest against the Centre's move to amend the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016.

The Narendra Modi-led BJP government plans to grant citizenship to members of minority communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who fled to India before December 31, 2014, to avoid religious persecution.

The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Sadou Asom Mottock Yuba Chatra Sanmilan, (SAMYCS), Assam Scheduled Tribe Students' Union, Brihottor Asomiya Mahila Manch, Ahom Sena, Asom Moran Sabha, Nibonua Parishad, Mottock Mahila Parishad, Assam Sangrami Oikya Manch, OIL Drilling and Production Workers Union (ODPWU), staged the sit-in from 11am to 1pm in Duliajan under the banner of the Khilonjia Sanmilita Sangrami Manch (KSSM).

Information and publicity secretary of the Dibrugarh district unit of the AJYCP Pranjal Rajkonwar, SAMYCS secretary Dibyajyoti Baruah, ODPWU vice-president Hiranya Gogoi, and AJYCP's Nagar Samity president Manuj Saikia#tonsured their heads to protest against the Centre and state government's stand on the Hindu Bangladeshis issue.

Rajkonwar said Prime Minster Narendra Modi, during his campaign for Assembly elections in Assam, had assured that if voted to power, the BJP government would deport infiltrators within 15 days. "But it was just a mere assurance. He is taking initiatives to recognise Hindus who entered Assam from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2016. We have tonsured our heads as a protest and if necessary we will stage a hunger strike. It is time to stay united," he said.

Educationist and retired principal of Duliajan College, Surendra Nath Gogoi, said the people of Assam would never agree to settling of 20 lakh Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam.