11-hr “Northeast bandh” begins, protest against CAB at it’s peak

The 11-hour
Northeast bandh called by an umbrella body of student’s organizations of the
region to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill began at 5 am on
Tuesday.

The North
East Student’s Organisation (NESO), backed by various other bodies and
political parties, will observe the shutdown till 4 pm against the Bill which
was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Security was
beefed up in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. Nagaland
has been made free from the purview of the bandh in view of the ongoing
Hornbill Festival there.

The Manipur
People Against CAB (Manpac), which was spearheading the agitation in the state,
has announced a suspension of its stir on Monday after Union Home Minister Amit
Shah said the to be brought under Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime.

The
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to
non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced
religious persecution there. They will be given Indian citizenship after
residing in the country for five years, instead of 11 years which is the
current norm.

People of
the Northeastern states are scared that the entry of these people will endanger
their identity and livelihood. Various organizations of the region have
launched a series of agitations against the Bill.

Parties and
organizations such as the Congress, AIUDF, All Assam Students Union, Krishak
Mukti Sangram Samiti, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union, Khasi Students
Union, and the Naga Students Federation are backing the NESO to observe the
bandh. A total of 16 left-leaning organizations such as the SFI, DYFI, AIDWA,
AISF, AISA and the IPTA has also called a 12-hour bandh in Assam, coinciding
with the NESO-organised shutdown.