Curfew remains on and internet cut in anti-CAB protests hit Assam
Guwahati/Dibrugarh/Tezpur/UNI: Assam is slowly limping back to normalcy after days of violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act, though agitation against the Act continued across the state,an indefinite curfew remained clamped in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, among other places, and the suspension of internet services was extended.
Train, as well as long-distance bus services, remained severely hit, with all trains between Guwahati and Dibrugarh, and all local passenger trains still cancelled.
The suspension of internet services, which was imposed on the evening of December 11, was extended till December 16, official sources said.
After nearly three days of violence and tension, life in Guwahati is limping back to normalcy as people came out since morning to buy essential commodities with curfew being relaxed from 0900 hours to 1600 hours today.
Long queues were seen especially in front of ATMs and petrol depots, with prices of essential commodities also reportedly rising due to low availability of stock and high demand.
Besides private vehicles, public buses also plied on the streets, though all educational institutions and offices remained closed.
In Dibrugarh town, curfew was relaxed from 0800 hours to 1400 hours today with no fresh incidents reported in the last 24 hours.
A mass protest rally was held at Chowkidingee Field in Dibrugarh, organized by All Assam Students Union (AASU).
The indefinite curfew under Tezpur and Dhekiajuli police station areas in Sonitpur district was also relaxed from 0900 to 1700 hours, Sonitpur deputy commissioner Manabendra Pratap Singh said.
He said the administration won’t hinder ay peaceful protests, but any attempt to block roads or create law and order situation will be dealt with a firm hand.
Tinsukia, Golaghat and Charaideo remained under night curfew, while in Jorhat, the curfew hours were brought down to 2200 hours to 0600 hours.
Army and Assam Rifles continued to assist the civil administration in various parts to restore normalcy.
With local passenger trains remaining cancelled and long-distance buses still off the roads, the state Transport department has made arrangements for stranded passengers.
The department has arranged for special buses from the Guwahati airport, railway station, ISBT depot at Guwahati, and also for people stranded at some important railway stations.
Meanwhile, protests against the CAB continued in different parts of the state.
Peaceful demonstrations were staged by students of Assam Agriculture University at Khanapara in Guwahati, civil society members at Jorhat and Lakhimpur, among other places.
More than 60 arrests have so far been made in connection with the recent protests, including pro-talks ULFA leader Jiten Dutta, and RTI activist and peasant leader Akhil Gogoi, over the last two days.
Assam has been opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to illegal Hindu, Parsi, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who had entered India prior to December 31, 2014, without any documents.
However, people of North Eastern states, especially Assam and Tripura, are demanding its revocation as they fear being ‘overrun’ by non-Muslims from neighbouring Bangladesh.
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