The northeast on Saturday saw the return of the protests against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act after almost two years.
The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of the State-based students’ groups, observed the second anniversary of the Act as a “black day” on Saturday while the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), formed after anti-CAA protests in September 2020, burnt copies of the Act.
The passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill by Rajya Sabha on December 11, 2019, had triggered widespread protests across the northeast, the most violent of which were in Assam and claimed at least five lives.
On Saturday, members of NESO hoisted black flags and banners at all important places across the region as a mark of protest. The organisation appealed to people to keep fighting against the CAA.
“On December 11, 2019, despite relentless opposition by the indigenous people of the northeast, the Government of India had passed the draconian law in Parliament,” the NESO said in a statement.
The “black day” is a message to the Centre that the people of the region are against the CAA, the statement added.
The AJP said it has launched the anti-CAA agitation by taking out a rally in Guwahati and burning copies of the CAA. They held black flags and shouted slogans demanding its repeal.
