Assam is slowly returning to normalcy amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, especially in Upper Assam, and the government is intensifying efforts to reach out to the people and restore order.
While there has been no report of any violence in the state during the last 36 hours, flight and train services continued to remain affected on Saturday. Curfew was relaxed here for seven hours from 9am.
The ban on mobile Internet service was extended till Monday as security forces maintained strict vigil across the state.
Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal met a high-level committee to implement Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord. The committee will recommend constitutional safeguards to the Assamese as promised in the historic pact, a step which the government feels will allay fears of the indigenous population, triggered by what the protesters describe as an “unconstitutional, contentious and divisive legislation”.
Later Sonowal tweeted, “I and my cabinet colleagues met members of the Clause 6 committee and urged them to complete their report as soon as possible. Chairman of the committee assured that they will submit the report within a month.”
He also discussed the situation in Assam with cabinet ministers, Union minister Rameshwar Teli and other MPs from the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted on Thursday after the passage of the bill: “The Central Government and I are totally committed to constitutionally safeguarding the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people as per the spirit of Clause 6. I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I want to assure them no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow.”
Sonowal’s tweet was followed by a statement by parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, which said a team of state BJP leaders under Sonowal will soon meet Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah and brief them about the prevailing situation.
However, state government employees on Saturday announced a ceasework on Wednesday in protest against the amended Act.
The president of the Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad, Basab Kalita, said, “We have opposed the bill since the beginning and will continue to do so till the Act is revoked,” he said.
The SAKP, which had pledged its support on Friday at the AASU-organised fast at Chandmari, will start its protest from Monday in all the districts.
“On Monday and Tuesday, SAKP members working in the secretariat can join the anti-Act protest or attend office partially. But on Wednesday, it is a complete ceasework. They will also join AASU-organised protests,” Kalita said.
The AJYCP, which, along with AASU and KMSS are driving the movement, has called for a judicial probe into the killing of protesters. The AJYCP on Saturday also blocked trains in Guwahati.
Protests against the Act were also recorded in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and London on Saturday.
On Friday, the United Nations’ human rights office voiced its concern over the Act and termed it “fundamentally discriminatory in nature” for excluding Muslims, and called for a review.
Brigit Uttarkhornyjhaki, a 31-year-old research scholar from Switzerland working on the man-elephant conflict on the fringe areas of Kaziranga National Park, on Saturday, turned up at a protest meeting at Gandhi Mandap ground in Kuwaritul in Kaliabor subdivision of Nagaon district in central Assam and addressed a crowd of over 2,000.
“In a state like Assam, the legislation can bring about a huge problem. The state, which already has a huge population, can witness a population explosion if more people flock in with the help of the new Act. It seems, the impact of the Act will be terrible in Assam,” she said.
In Dibrugarh, residents thronged ATMs and shops on Friday as curfew was relaxed in municipal areas from 8am to 1pm. No untoward incidents were reported from Thursday night.
Banks and business establishments, however, remained closed even after the relaxation of the curfew.
“Normalcy is returning to Dibrugarh. We are trying everything possible to maintain law and order,” said a police officer.
The district administration has appealed to everyone to maintain peace and harmony.
Stranded
Altogether 71 trains were cancelled under the Northeast Frontier Railway.
NF Railway ran four special passenger trains to carry around 2,400 stranded passengers to their destinations since December 12.
“While two special trains were run from Guwahati to Dimapur on Thursday and Saturday, two other special trains were run to Furkating and Dibrugarh from Guwahati on Friday. There are about 600 to 800 passengers still stranded here to be taken to their destinations by Saturday night or Sunday morning,” said Subhanan Chanda, the chief public relations officer, NFR.
Chandra said the Brahmaputra Mail, which started from Delhi on Thursday, will run up to Dibrugarh on Saturday night.
Similarly, the Brahmaputra Mail will start from Dibrugarh on Saturday night whereas the Avadh Assam Express will run from Dibrugarh on Sunday.
The curfew continued to affect air services in the state with at least seven flights cancelled on Saturday.
Sanjeev Jindal, the regional executive director of the Airports Authority of India, Northeast, said, “Flight services are likely to resume normally from Sunday.”
Many passengers are stranded at Mohanbari airport and New Tinsukia railway station. The passengers are having a tough time because of scarcity of food. All flights from Mohanbari airport have been cancelled.
“I have been stranded at New Tinsukia railway station for the past two days with no food to eat. I have to go to Dibrugarh. The situation is tense in Chabua. Some passengers have started walking,” said Debabrata Paul.
Deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha said, “The situation is improving in Dibrugarh. Chabua was tense on Thursday but now the situation has improved.”
Dibrugarh AGP unit president Punakon Baruah, brother of Lahowal legislator Rituparna Baruah, resigned from the AGP in protest against the Act. Around 850 BJP members of Bindhakata gaon panchayat in Chabua resigned from the party on Thursday in protest.
Army convoys are conducting flag marches in sensitive areas here.
“For the last five days, we were not able to go outside. Today, we purchased essential items during relaxation of curfew,” said Sumit Nandi, a resident.
A Scorpio was vandalised by protesters on National Highway 37 near Kumaronisiga. Nobody was injured in the incident. The police fired blanks to disperse the mob. Students and teachers staged a protest near Dibrugarh University.
Over 1,000 protesters blocked National Highway 37 with logs at Lahowal Tiniali.
Meanwhile, Sreejith Tiraviam joined as the Dibrugarh superintendent of police in place of Gautam Borah, who has been posted as commandant of 10 Assam Police Battalion at Kahilipara in Guwahati.
In Tinsukia district, no incidents of violence were reported. Protesters staged peaceful demonstrations at different places in the district.
Ex-Ulfa leader held
Police have arrested ex-Ulfa leader Jiten Dutta from his residence at Digboi. Sources said he was arrested as a part of preventive measures just like KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi on Thursday.
Akhil has been booked by the NIA for allegedly fomenting trouble during the protests. However, senior state government official neither confirmed nor denied the development.
In Barak Valley, the deputy inspector-general of police of southern Assam, Dilip Kumar Dey, said the police have been monitoring the activities in Hailakandi, Cachar, Karimganj and Dima Hasao districts.
Congress leader and former minister Siddique Ahmed sent a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind under the banner of about 20 organisations.
The police had earlier prevented Ahmed and his followers from staging protests against the Act.
Appeal
Former president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, Nagen Saikia, appealed to the people to protest in a peaceful manner against the Act.
“India is a secular state and there should not be any discrimination on caste, creed and religion. The Act is against the people of Assam because it was meant for one religion. I appeal everyone to maintain peace and harmony,” Saikia said.
The All Assam students’ Union also appealed for peaceful protests in the state.
In Golaghat, the AASU lodged an FIR against Khumtai BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia, alleging that he threatened an AASU leader.
“The FIR alleged that Saikia fired four rounds in the air to threaten an AASU member,” said a police source.
Additional reporting by Avik Chakraborty in Dibrugarh
