An 11-hour Northeast bandh, called by a number of students' organisation and political parties on Tuesday, to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill began amid tight security at 5am.

In Assam, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has called for a state-wide bandh after a gap of 10 years and it is being supported by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-hurt-by-agp-pullout-opposition-parties-welcome-decision-188912">withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam</a> on Monday, the opposition Congress, the AIUDF, and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

Tyres were burnt on roads at various places in Assam to prevent movement of vehicles. Vehicles were damaged in Guwahati, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts, police said.

Railway tracks were blocked briefly in Guwahati and Dibrugarh district but movement of trains, including that of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, resumed after the GRP removed protestors from the tracks, railway sources said.

Train and flight schedules remained unaffected.

Shops, markets, financial institutions kept their shutters down, educational institutions, private offices remained closed and private vehicles, including long-distance buses, kept off roads in the Brahmaputra valley, police and official sources said.

Attendance in government offices was thin as the employees had difficulty in reaching their workplace in the absence of adequate public transport, the sources said. 
A skeleton service of the government-run Assam State Transport Corporation buses were pressed into service.

Several students' bodies of the region have decided to observe the 'bandh' in support of the call given by the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), an umbrella organisation of students' unions, of which the AASU is a constituent.

Thirty ethnic organisations are also supporting the bandh in Assam.

The bandh evoked response in the Bengali-majority Barak valley also where Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4, had announced that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 will be passed as soon as possible in the Parliament as a penance for past injustices.

The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to people from minority communities ? Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians ? from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document.

The AGP and other groups in Assam have said the provisions of the bill will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides for deportation of all illegal migrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after March, 1971.

Security arrangements were intensified and patrolling by police and paramilitary forces intensified across the state in view of the bandh called by the AASU after ten years.

Assam Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia said, "District SPs have been instructed to ensure public peace. Appropriate forces have been deployed across the state to prevent any untoward incident. Patrolling has also been intensified at all places."

Meanwhile, member organisations of the NESO in other states such as Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP), All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), Khasi Students Union (KSU), Garo Students Union (GSU), Naga Students' Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and Twipra Students Federation (TSF) are also supporting the bandh.&nbsp;

An 11-hour Northeast bandh, called by a number of students' organisation and political parties on Tuesday, to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill began amid tight security at 5am.

An 11-hour Northeast bandh, called by a number of students' organisation and political parties on Tuesday, to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill began amid tight security at 5am. In Assam, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has called for a state-wide bandh after a gap of 10 years and it is being supported by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam on Monday, the opposition Congress, the AIUDF, and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS). Tyres were burnt on roads at various places in Assam to prevent movement of vehicles. Vehicles were damaged in Guwahati, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts, police said. Railway tracks were blocked briefly in Guwahati and Dibrugarh district but movement of trains, including that of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, resumed after the GRP removed protestors from the tracks, railway sources said. Train and flight schedules remained unaffected. Shops, markets, financial institutions kept their shutters down, educational institutions, private offices remained closed and private vehicles, including long-distance buses, kept off roads in the Brahmaputra valley, police and official sources said. Attendance in government offices was thin as the employees had difficulty in reaching their workplace in the absence of adequate public transport, the sources said. A skeleton service of the government-run Assam State Transport Corporation buses were pressed into service. Several students' bodies of the region have decided to observe the 'bandh' in support of the call given by the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), an umbrella organisation of students' unions, of which the AASU is a constituent. Thirty ethnic organisations are also supporting the bandh in Assam. The bandh evoked response in the Bengali-majority Barak valley also where Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4, had announced that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 will be passed as soon as possible in the Parliament as a penance for past injustices. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to people from minority communities ? Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians ? from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document. The AGP and other groups in Assam have said the provisions of the bill will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides for deportation of all illegal migrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after March, 1971. Security arrangements were intensified and patrolling by police and paramilitary forces intensified across the state in view of the bandh called by the AASU after ten years. Assam Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia said, "District SPs have been instructed to ensure public peace. Appropriate forces have been deployed across the state to prevent any untoward incident. Patrolling has also been intensified at all places." Meanwhile, member organisations of the NESO in other states such as Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP), All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), Khasi Students Union (KSU), Garo Students Union (GSU), Naga Students' Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and Twipra Students Federation (TSF) are also supporting the bandh.

Northeast observes shutdown against Citizenship Amendment Bill

The BJP Monday expressed sadness over its ally <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/agp-pulls-out-of-alliance-with-bjp-in-assam-after-the-union-cabinet-approves-citizenship-amendment-bill-188833">AGP deciding to break the partnership over the Citizenship Bill</a>, saying the regional party had "fallen into the Congress trap".

While opposition Congress welcomed the AGP's decision, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) proposed to form a united platform taking along the regional party to fight the "communal and divisive" politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) invited the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to join the ongoing agitation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The Congress and the AIUDF also lashed out at senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for claiming that the state will "go Jinnah's way if the Citizenship Bill is not passed".

The proposed Citizenship Bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

BJP Spokesperson Rupam Goswami said, "We have not got any information officially. The alliance with the AGP was made by our national president (Amit Shah), so I think only he will be informed."

"We are definitely hurt seeing it on TV because we did not want them to leave the alliance. We got a hint that they have fallen into the Congress trap," Goswami told PTI.

Another alliance partner, the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), did not come out with any official reaction, but its MLA and Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma termed the AGP's decision as "correct", adding that it was her personal view.

"The party (AGP) was born for the cause of the indigenous people and cannot go against them. Responding to peoples' call, it has withdrawn the support," she said.

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress said the AGP should join hands with other parties to protest against the bill.

"We should forget all our differences and aim towards fighting against the bill," he said

Though the Congress leader ruled out any "political equation" with the help of the AGP.

On Sarma's Jinnah comment, Gogoi said it reflected the communal politics of the minister.

However, state Congress president Ripun Bora accused the AGP of carrying on with the alliance for the "sake of power" and noted that the damage to the state had already been done.

"The AGP left the alliance when no alternative was left. They stayed for so long only for the sake of power. The decision is too late as the damage has already been done," Bora said.

Had the AGP not partnered with the BJP, the saffron party would have not bagged so much seats in the assembly election and formed a government in the state, he added.

AIUDF spokesperson Aminul Islam said, "We now hope that we can form a united opposition front, including the Congress, the AGP, the BPF and the Left to fight the communal and divisive politics of the BJP."

The AIUDF legislator also criticised Sarma asserting that Muslims who supported Jinnah went to Pakistan during the partition and those who stayed back in India were opposed to his politics.

Meanwhile, All Assam Students Union (AASU) General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said, "The AGP became power hungry. It is unfortunate that they realised it so late. Along with AGP, now we appeal all political parties to come out and join the protest (against the Citizenship Bill)."

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) too said that it was time for all parties against the bill to unite and find an alternative to communal politics.

"Talking about Jinnah at this time is deliberately done to polarise the society before the polls. By doing so, he (Sarma) is trying to spread the communal agenda of the RSS," KMSS adviser Akhil Gogoi said.

The BJP Monday expressed sadness over its ally AGP deciding to break the partnership over the Citizenship Bill, saying the regional party had "fallen into the Congress trap".

The BJP Monday expressed sadness over its ally AGP deciding to break the partnership over the Citizenship Bill, saying the regional party had "fallen into the Congress trap". While opposition Congress welcomed the AGP's decision, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) proposed to form a united platform taking along the regional party to fight the "communal and divisive" politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) invited the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to join the ongoing agitation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The Congress and the AIUDF also lashed out at senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for claiming that the state will "go Jinnah's way if the Citizenship Bill is not passed". The proposed Citizenship Bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. BJP Spokesperson Rupam Goswami said, "We have not got any information officially. The alliance with the AGP was made by our national president (Amit Shah), so I think only he will be informed." "We are definitely hurt seeing it on TV because we did not want them to leave the alliance. We got a hint that they have fallen into the Congress trap," Goswami told PTI. Another alliance partner, the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), did not come out with any official reaction, but its MLA and Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma termed the AGP's decision as "correct", adding that it was her personal view. "The party (AGP) was born for the cause of the indigenous people and cannot go against them. Responding to peoples' call, it has withdrawn the support," she said. Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress said the AGP should join hands with other parties to protest against the bill. "We should forget all our differences and aim towards fighting against the bill," he said Though the Congress leader ruled out any "political equation" with the help of the AGP. On Sarma's Jinnah comment, Gogoi said it reflected the communal politics of the minister. However, state Congress president Ripun Bora accused the AGP of carrying on with the alliance for the "sake of power" and noted that the damage to the state had already been done. "The AGP left the alliance when no alternative was left. They stayed for so long only for the sake of power. The decision is too late as the damage has already been done," Bora said. Had the AGP not partnered with the BJP, the saffron party would have not bagged so much seats in the assembly election and formed a government in the state, he added. AIUDF spokesperson Aminul Islam said, "We now hope that we can form a united opposition front, including the Congress, the AGP, the BPF and the Left to fight the communal and divisive politics of the BJP." The AIUDF legislator also criticised Sarma asserting that Muslims who supported Jinnah went to Pakistan during the partition and those who stayed back in India were opposed to his politics. Meanwhile, All Assam Students Union (AASU) General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said, "The AGP became power hungry. It is unfortunate that they realised it so late. Along with AGP, now we appeal all political parties to come out and join the protest (against the Citizenship Bill)." The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) too said that it was time for all parties against the bill to unite and find an alternative to communal politics. "Talking about Jinnah at this time is deliberately done to polarise the society before the polls. By doing so, he (Sarma) is trying to spread the communal agenda of the RSS," KMSS adviser Akhil Gogoi said.

BJP 'hurt' by AGP pullout, opposition parties welcome decision

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) decided to pull out of an alliance with the BJP in Assam soon after the union cabinet approved the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/union-cabinet-clears-citizenship-amendment-bill-to-be-introduced-in-lok-sabha-tuesday-188821">Citizenship Amendment Bill </a>on Monday.

The approval came after the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chairman Rajendra Agarwala tabled the bill in Lok Sabha. The bill is likely to be passed tomorrow in the Lok Sabha. &nbsp;

The official announcement of the AGP was made by the party president Atul Bora in New Delhi after meeting the union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.

“The bill will make the Assam Accord meaningless. We were against the bill and now that it is being passed, there is no question of being an alliance partner of the BJP. We have been fighting against the bill and will continue to do so to protect the Assamese community. Unfortunately, the Centre approved the bill without even thinking about the people of Assam,” said Bora.

Bora was leading a delegation of AGP members - Keshab Mahanta, Phani Bhushan Choudhury, Ramendra Narayan Kalita and Birendra Prasad Baishya.

The AGP is an electoral ally of the BJP in Assam and also part of the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance).

On the other hand, Assam Congress MPs including the president Assam Congress President Ripun Bora lead a protest in front of the Parliament today demanding immediate repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016.

Back in Assam, All Assam Students Union (AASU) and 30 other organisations put up protests against the Central government’s move to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Protestors set alight copies of the bill as a mark of protest across several places in Assam.

The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) members stripped themselves naked in Assam’s Tinsukia to register their protest against the bill.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant nationality to people belonging to minority communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of their residence in India.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) decided to pull out of an alliance with the BJP in Assam soon after the union cabinet approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill on Monday.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) decided to pull out of an alliance with the BJP in Assam soon after the union cabinet approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill on Monday. The approval came after the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chairman Rajendra Agarwala tabled the bill in Lok Sabha. The bill is likely to be passed tomorrow in the Lok Sabha. The official announcement of the AGP was made by the party president Atul Bora in New Delhi after meeting the union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. “The bill will make the Assam Accord meaningless. We were against the bill and now that it is being passed, there is no question of being an alliance partner of the BJP. We have been fighting against the bill and will continue to do so to protect the Assamese community. Unfortunately, the Centre approved the bill without even thinking about the people of Assam,” said Bora. Bora was leading a delegation of AGP members - Keshab Mahanta, Phani Bhushan Choudhury, Ramendra Narayan Kalita and Birendra Prasad Baishya. The AGP is an electoral ally of the BJP in Assam and also part of the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance). On the other hand, Assam Congress MPs including the president Assam Congress President Ripun Bora lead a protest in front of the Parliament today demanding immediate repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016. Back in Assam, All Assam Students Union (AASU) and 30 other organisations put up protests against the Central government’s move to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Protestors set alight copies of the bill as a mark of protest across several places in Assam. The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) members stripped themselves naked in Assam’s Tinsukia to register their protest against the bill. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant nationality to people belonging to minority communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of their residence in India.

AGP pulls out of alliance with BJP in Assam after Union cabinet approves Citizenship Amendment Bill