Assam Finance & Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that the government would soon talk to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters for a peaceful solution. There would be no action against protests by student and civil society organisations as long as they were democratic.
“We have filed 136 cases against people involved in violence and arson last week and arrested 190 people. From the video footage, it was evident that most members of the violent mobs in Guwahati were from certain districts,” he said. The local authorities, he said, had begun repairing the damage caused to public property.
Mr. Sarma said people had every right to protest against any decision they do not deem right. “We have sought discussions to iron out the misconceptions,” he said.
Monday saw leaders of the All-Assam Students’ Union and scores of others court arrest during a “mass Satyagraha” against the Citizenship Act. Officials said the protesters were released soon after the token arrest.
Cong. protests
The Congress too announced a series of agitations to push for a repeal of the Act. They included collecting signatures of 20 lakh people for a petition to be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Congress of instigating the violence and arson. He should give proof or institute an inquiry by a Supreme Court judge,” State Congress president and MP Ripun Bora said.
The government eased curfew during the day, amid reports of stray incidents of violence targeting a linguistic community across the State, and said restrictions could be lifted if the protests remained peaceful. Officials said mobile Internet and data services may be resumed from Tuesday.
