CAB protests engulf Assam, curfew imposed in Guwahati
Guwahati/IBNS/UNI: Army staged flag march at different places across Assam at night as the protests against the passing of the citizenship bill continued in the state on Wednesday.
The Centre moved more than 5,000 paramilitary troops and 24 companies to control the raging protests.
During the ongoing indefinite curfew, which was imposed around 1815 hrs on Wednesday, protestors defied the curfew and torched railway stations and attacked the residence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at Dibrugarh in Upper Assam.
Afte the curfew was imposed on Wednesday at 1815 hrs, following large scale violent protests in capital Guwahati and 10 other districts of the state, in many areas people defied the curfew and came out to protest which forced security personnel to resort to blank firings in many areas of the state.
Protestors at various places gheraoed the residence of many BJP leaders in Upper Assam.
Chief Minister Sonowal's residence at Dibrugarh also came under attack as group protestors pelted stone at house.
Chabua and Panitola railway stations in Upper Assam were torched at night while all traffic between Dibrugarh and Guwahati was suspended, North East Frontier Railway spokesperson said.
According to reports, one person was injured in police firing in Lachit Nagar area in Guwahati.
The interest services has also been suspended till 1900 hrs on Thursday.
Meanwhile, urging people to agitate against CAB in a peaceful manner, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence minister Rajnath Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to participate in a public debate on the Bill.
'We dare the PM, the Defence minister and the Home minister to debate on CAB in a public forum and then they will know what the citizens actually want,' said AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya.
A series protests by artists, intellectuals and common people has been planned on Thursday at various places of the state.
After hours of debate, the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday night with 125 votes in favour of it and 105 votes against it.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
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