Guwahati, Dec 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid gradual improvement in the law and order situation, curfew was relaxed in Assam's biggest city of Guwahati and in some parts of Dibrugarh for the second consecutive day on Sunday, after days of violent protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, police said.

In Guwahati, the curfew has been relaxed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., said a senior police official, adding that it has also been relaxed in some parts of Dibrugarh for around eight hours since morning.

Curfew was first lifted from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Guwahati, Dibrugarh West, Naharkatia, Tenughat and some other places on Saturday.

A Guwahati police officer said the situation was better than it was on Saturday.

"The situation is improving gradually. It is better than yesterday. I think the situation will further improve," Guwahati Joint Commissioner of Police Debraj Upadhyay told IANS over phone.

Upadhyay said large number of security forces have been deployed to ensure there was no further violence.

"A lot of forces are there, and we are picking up miscreants, who have been identified," Upadhyay said.

He said between Thursday and Saturday, 159 people were picked up. "Of them, 48 have been sent to jail custody, and the remaining 111 released," Upadhyay added.

As the curfews were relaxed, long queues were seen outside shops at several places, including Dispur, Uzan Bazar, Chandmari, Silpukhuri and Zoo Road in Guwahati.

Auto and cycle-rickshaws were also plying across the city. Petrol pumps have also opened with vehicles waiting in lines to refuel.

The official said that the police are using loudspeakers to inform the public about the relaxation.

The city as well as other parts of Assam faced violent protests after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, became an Act following its passage in both the Houses of Parliament.

The Act will provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before December 31, 2014.

As per the Act, such communities will not be treated as illegal immigrants now and will be given Indian citizenship.

Source: IANS

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Shillong, Dec 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Meghalaya Assembly will hold a one-day special session on December 19 to pass a resolution to introduce the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Sunday.

"Governor Tathagata Roy has taken steps to convene the special session. In the session a resolution would be adopted requesting the central government to introduce the ILP in the state," Sangma told IANS.

Sangma led a delegation of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) which met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday and demanded to introduce the ILP in Meghalaya. "We have discussed the ILP issue and other problem of Meghalaya with the Home Minister and he assured us with positive approach," said Sangma, who is also the Chairman of the MDA.

The delegation, which included Assembly speaker Metbah Lyngdoh, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong Aand Health Minister and state BJP leader A.L. Hek, also discussed other state ethnic and essential services issues of Meghalaya.

Amid violent agitations across the northeastern region against the contentious new Citizenship Amendment Act, the Union Home Minstry following the request of the state government, has promulgated the ILP in Manipur on December 11 with President Ram Nath Kovind signing the order to this effect.

On Friday, over 20,000 people gathered in front of the Raj Bhavan in Shillong demanding implementation of the ILP in Meghalaya. According to the provisions of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, the new legislation would not be applied in the 10 Tribal Autonomous District Council (TADC) areas of Assam (3), Meghalaya (3), Mizoram (3) and Tripura (one).

Also the new legislation on citizenship would not be executed in three northeastern states - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram -- where the ILP regime is applicable. The 10 TADCs are constituted under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution while the ILP was notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited and stipulated period.

Source: IANS

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By Sujit Chakraborty

Guwahati/Agartala, Dec 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) With the situation improving in Assam and other northeastern states which witnessed violent agitations last week over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, all the 10 airports in the region were operational on Sunday, officials said.

The Airport Authority of India's (AAI) Regional Executive Director, Sanjeev Jindal, told IANS: "We are working in all the airports of northeastern region on Sunday and some were also open for passengers overnight on Saturday. Even if there is no flight, we are allowing the passengers to use guesthouses, lounges, water, heating and are trying to provide food as well."

He said that till Saturday, the Dibrugarh Airport in Assam was not operational due to the unavailability of adequate private and public transport services. But on Sunday, it functioned normally and all the nine scheduled flights were being operated.

Jindal said that other airports in Guwahati, Silchar, Jorhat, Teju, Tezpur (all in Assam), Agartala (Tripura), Imphal (Manipur), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Lengpui (Mizoram) were also operating normally.

"Challenges are there for men and material but all stakeholders are working hard in close coordination and serving the people for their safe movement in and out of the northeastern region," Jindal said.

However, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates in the entire northeastern region and in some parts of Bihar and West Bengal, has cancelled 71 trains on Sunday due to security and other reasons.

An NFR official told IANS that due to security and technical reasons besides inadequate road transport services they were not operating the 71 trains.

"Kamakhya-Ranchi Express and Kishanganj-Ajmer Gareeb Nawaz Express would also remain cancelled on December 17. Because of law and order problem between New Farakka and Azimganj section of the Eastern Railway in West Bengal, six trains had to be cancelled on Sunday and the New Alipurduar-Sealdah Tista Torsa Express was short-terminated at Raninagar Jalpiguri," the official said.

Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda said that the NFR had run four special trains between Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Dimapur and other places of northeast and carried about 2,400 stranded passengers to their destinations since December 12.

"Around 800 passengers, who have been stranded in Guwahati, were being ferried to their destinations since Saturday night," Chanda added.

The agitations against the CAA have also affected the operations of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) refineries and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) production units in Assam and the other states causing shortage of transport fuel and cooking gas.

"The availability of petrol, diesel and LPG would be normal in a day or two. Efforts are on to transport these petroleum products to all the northeastern states," an IOC official said in Agartala.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has now become an Act after being passed by both the Houses of Parliament will provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

The issue has caused widespread unprecedented violent protests in the northeast, especially in the states of Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya, with the agitating demonstrators demanding the withdrawal of the CAA claiming that the fresh legislation would jeopardize the demographic situations and life, culture and socio-economic positions to the 45.58 million populations of region.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, Dec 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Curfew has been relaxed in Assam's largest city Guwahati and in some parts of Dibrugarh for the second consecutive day on Sunday, after days of violent protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act on refugee naturalisation, police said.

In Guwahati, the curfew has been relaxed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., said a senior police official, adding the it has also been relaxed in some parts of Dibrugarh for around eight hours since morning. Curfew was first lifted from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Guwahati, Dibrugarh west, Naharkatia, Tenughat and some other places in the district on Saturday.

As the curfews were relaxed, long queues were seen outside shops at several places, including Dispur, Uzan Bazar, Chandmari, Silpukhuri and Zoo Road in Guwahati town. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws were plying across the city.

Petrol pumps in the city have also opened with vehicles waiting in lines to refuel. The official said that the police are using loudspeakers to inform the public about the relaxation. The city as well as other parts of Assam faced violent protests after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was cleared by Lok Sabha in a late night sitting on Monday.

The Bill was on Wednesday also passed by the Rajya Sabha and it got the President's approval the next day paving the way for it to become a law which provides Indian citizenship to six non-Muslim communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- who fled to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014 due to religious persecution.

As per the Act, such communities will not be treated as illegal immigrants now and will be given Indian citizenship.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, Dec 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The death toll in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) went up to three in Assam amidst a rail blockade, hunger strikes and sit-ins organised by various organisations, even as the curfew enforced in Guwahati was relaxed for seven hours on Saturday.

While two people had died of bullet wounds during the protests on Thursday, the driver of an empty oil tanker was killed after the vehicle was set afire at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district on Friday night, the police said.

The victim died of burn wounds on Saturday morning in a private nursing home.

The protests continued with cultural personalities and civil society members joining the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and other organisations in holding sit-ins and hunger strikes in all districts of the Brahmaputra Valley on day six of the protests.

Lending their weight to the agitation, Assam government employees announced that they would go on a cease work on December 18.

Meanwhile, the authorities extended the suspension on internet services till December 16 to prevent mischief by using the social media.

In Dibrugarh municipal area, curfew was relaxed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., officials said.

With prohibitory orders relaxed till 4 p.m., shops and markets opened in Guwahati and some vehicles were seen plying on the roads.

However, schools continued to remain shut.

"The situation is improving. Curfew has been withdrawn up to 4 p.m. today. Normalcy seems to be returning gradually," Guwahati Joint Commissioner of Police Debraj Upadhyay told IANS over phone.

He said forces have been strategically deployed throughout the commissionerate for maintenance of law and order.

The officer informed that a number of people have been arrested in different police stations, but could not give the exact figures.

People lined up before shops selling essentials like food items and a large number of cars were seen outside petrol pumps for refuelling.

A Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesman told IANS that train movement was "not yet normal" in the state.

"Local passenger trains were not running. Long distance trains to Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are being short terminated in Guwahati. However, long distance trains to Agartala and Silchar are plying," NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda told IANS.

On Thursday, two protesters with bullet wounds were taken to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, where one was declared dead before the other succumbed to his injuries. At least 11 others were injured during the protests.

The All Assam Students Union (AASU), which is spearheading the protests, has called a three-day mass 'satyagraha' in all district headquarters of the state from December 16.

Source: IANS

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Agartala, Dec 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Though there have been no fresh incidents, prohibitory orders have been promulgated in three sub-divisions in northern Tripura as precautionary measures in the wake of amendment to the Citizenship Act.

"The Dhalai district administration as precautionary measures has promulgated the prohibitory orders 144 CrPc in three sub-divisions -- Longtharai Valley, Ambassa and Gandachara. Some troopers of the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force (BSF) along with the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) are patrolling these three tribal-dominated areas," a police official said.

Peace meetings were being organised in each of the 23 sub-divisions and all 58 blocks to maintain harmony in the state, where tribals constituted one third of the four million populations, he said.

The Joint Movement Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (JMACAB), a group of many tribal parties, led by the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) called off the agitation on December 11 after a meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately met top leaders of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), junior ally of the ruling BJP, and the Tripura People's Front (TPF), in New Delhi and discussed the new Act and other issues.

Former Tripura Congress chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, who quit the party a few months back over the CAB issue, also met Shah along with TPF supremo Patal Kanya Jamatia.

IPFT Assistant General Secretary Mangal Debbarma told IANS, they had also demanded more autonomy for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to upgrade the socio-economic condition of the indigenous tribals.

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for creation of a separate state by upgrading the TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals.

The amended Citizenship Act provides Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh with a cut-off date of December 31, 2014.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid the ongoing protests in the northeast, the Joint CSIR-UGC NET examination, scheduled to be held on 15 December, has been postponed until further notification.

A public notice issued by National Testing Agency, an autonomous organisation under the Department of Higher Education, said, "The candidates scheduled to appear in Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2019 examination in Assam (Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Sivasagar and Tezpur) and Meghalaya (Shillong) are hereby informed that their examination has been postponed."

In in other states/Union Territories, the examination will be held on 15 December. "The revised date of examination for Assam and Meghalaya will be announced soon. All the candidates are advised to regularly visit the website of NTA www.nta.ac.in and https://csirnet.nta.nic.in for further information", it said.

Source: IANS

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Bhubaneswar, Dec 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The railway authorities on Saturday cancelled several trains running through Odisha due to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

In view of massive public agitation at different railway stations including Sankrail, Maurigram, Bankra Nayabaj and Nalpur stations in Howrah-Kharagpur railway section of South Eastern Railway, many trains have been cancelled and controlled at different railway stations, said East Coast Railway (ECoR).

It said seven express trains cancelled from Howrah and three trains from Puri in view of agitation by people at various railway stations.

The trains cancelled from Howrah were 20889 Howrah-Tirupati Humsafar Express, 22877 Howrah-Ernakulam Antyoday Express, 12841 Howrah-Chennai Coromandal Express, 12245 Howrah-Yesvantpur Duronto Express, 18645 Howrah-Hyderabad East Coast Express, 12847 Howrah-Pune Duronto Express and 2860 Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Gitanjali Express.

The three trains were cancelled from Puri due to cancellation of connecting trains. They are 22890 Puri-Digha Express, 58002 Puri-Santragachhi Passenger, 58404 Puri-Khurda Passenger.

The trains partially cancelled were 12278/12277 Puri-Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express, 12074/12073 Bhubaneswar-Howrah-Bhubaneswar Jan Shatabdi Express.

Source: IANS

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Agartala/Guwahati, Dec 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Assam and Tripura governments have increased security at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissions here in view of the stir against the amended citizenship law, officials said on Saturday.

The situation in Assam is gradually improving, while Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya and other northeastern states are almost normal after violent agitations against the citizenship act earlier this week.

Officials in Guwahati and Agartala said that security has been further strengthened at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission offices and additional security forces deployed in and around the complexes of the two diplomatic missions.

Bangladesh media reported that acting Foreign Secretary Kamrul Ahsan held a meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka and requested the protection of the personnel and properties of the mission by the host government.

"Ganguly assured that the authorities concerned of the Indian government are being immediately alerted to enhance security of the chancery and residential premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Guwahati," the media report said quoting officials of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

According to the Airport Authority of India's (AAI) Regional Executive Director Sanjeev Jindal, almost all airports in the northeastern states are operating normal flights to and from northeast India and other parts of the country.

"We are operating almost all the airports of northeastern region and our airports are open for passengers over night on Friday. Even if there is no flight we are allowing the passengers to use guest houses, lounges, water, heating and are trying to provide food as well," Jindal said.

He said that except Dibrugarh (in Assam), other airports in Guwahati, Silchar, Jorhat, Teju, Tezpur (all in Assam), Agartala (Tripura), Imphal ( Manipur), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Lengpui (Mizoram) are operating normally.

In Dibrugarh, the unavailability of adequate private or public transport systems is causing the suspension of all nine flights to and from Dibrugarh airport except Army chartered and helicopter services.

"Challenges are there for men and material but we all stakeholders are working hard in close coordination and serving the people for their safe movement in and out of northeastern region," Jindal said.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates trains in some parts of Bihar and West Bengal besides the entire northeastern region, only cancelled the trains touching tension-ridden Dibrugarh in northern Assam.

"Due to security reasons we are not operating trains linked to Dibrugarh. However, over 70 to 75 per cent trains are already either operational or to be run later in the day in the northeastern states," an NFR official told IANS.

The agitations also affected the operations of Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) refineries and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) production units in Assam and other northeastern states causing shortage of transport fuel and cooking gas.

"The availability of petrol, diesel and LPG would be normal in a day or two. Efforts are on to transport these petroleum products to all the northeastern states," an IOC official said in Agartala.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, Dec 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The curfew, enforced in Guwahati due to the volatile protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, was relaxed for seven hours since 9 a.m. on Saturday, as the situation improved in Assam.

With the prohibitory orders relaxed till 4 p.m., shops and markets opened in the capital city and some vehicles were seen plying on the roads.

However, schools continued to remain shut.

People lined up before shops selling essentials like food items and a large number of cars were seen outside petrol pumps for refuelling.

At least two people have died during violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is now a law after the President's assent.

On Thursday, thousands of people defied the curfew and took to the streets as the raging agitation saw the house of an MLA and a Circle Officer set ablaze, while the government removed two key police officers.

Two protesters with bullet wounds were taken to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, where one was declared dead before the other succumbed to injuries. At least 11 others were injured during the protests.

The All Assam Students Union (AASU), which is spearheading the protests, has called a three-day mass satyagraha in all district headquarters of the state from December 16.

Announcing the fresh agitation programme, AASU Chief Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya on Friday coined the slogan "Repeal Citizenship Amendment Act or arrest me".

Bhattacharya said padyatra and protest meetings would be organised across the state and posters would be put up against the controversial law.

Meanwhile, authorities have rolled out measures to help the hundreds of passengers stranded at the airport, railways stations and inter-state bus terminals due to the protests which have led to suspension of flight, train and public road transport services.

Buses would ferry the stranded passengers to various parts of the city, an official said.

Source: IANS

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Shillong/Agartala/Guwahati, Dec 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Home Minister Amit Shahs scheduled visit to Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh on December 15 to attend separate functions has been postponed in view of the "law and order situation in the region" following agitation against the citizenship law, officials said on Friday.

An official in the Arunachal Pradesh Home Department said that Shah's visit to the state on Sunday to take part in a festival in Tawang has been cancelled, considering the ongoing violent protests in the region over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has now become a law after getting clearance from both the Houses of Parliament earlier in the week.

"The Union Home Minister was supposed to visit NEPA (North-Eastern Police Academy) to attend the passing-out parade of the trained police personnel. But in view of the law and order situation in the northeastern region, especially n Assam, his visit was postponed," a top official of NEPA told IANS.

The official said the passing out parade has also been also postponed. "We would fix the new schedule in consultation with the Union Home Ministry," said the official.

The NEPA, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, was set up in July 1978 in Ri-Bhoi District in northern Meghalaya to provide training to police officers and different categories of policemen from the northeastern states.

In view of the violent agitations, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates trains in some parts of Bihar and West Bengal besides in entire northeastern region, either cancelled or rescheduled as many as 73 trains on Friday.

According to a press release issued by NFR Chief PRO Subhanan Chanda, important trains cancelled include Howrah-Kamrup Express, Kanyakumari Bibek Express, Guwahai Janshatabdi Express, Kanchanjungha Express, Humsafar Express.

"Rajdhani Express, which left New Delhi on December 12, would be short-terminated at Guwahati and would remain partially cancelled between Guwahati and Dibrugarh," the release said.

The New Delhi Rajdhani Express of December 16 would also remain partially cancelled between Dibrugarh and Guwahati and would start from Guwahati on December 17.

"Many trains of December 14, 15 and 16 would also remain cancelled in Assam," the release added.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately met top leaders of three Tripura tribal based parties -- Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), junior ally of the ruling BJP; Joint Movement Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (JMACAB), a conglomeration of many tribal parties; and Tripura People's Front (TPF) -- in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed the new citizenship law and other issues.

Former Tripura state Congress Chief and royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, who quit the party a few months back over the CAB issue, also met Shah along with TPF supremo Patal Kanya Jamatia.

All the leaders of the three organisations have demanded that Tripura be kept out of the purview of the new citizenship law.

IPFT Assistant General Secretary and party spokesman Mangal Debbarma told IANS over phone from Delhi that they have also demanded more autonomy for Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to protect and improve the socio-economic condition of the indigenous tribals, who form one-third of Tripura's four million population.

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for the creation of a separate state for the indigenous tribals by upgrading the TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals.

Before becoming a law, the CAB was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh with a cut-off date of December 31, 2014.

Source: IANS

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Shillong/Agartala/Guwahati, Dec 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Shillong on December 15 to attend a function in North-Eastern Police Academy (NEPA), has been postponed in view of the "law and order situation in the region" following agitation against the new citizenship law, officials said on Friday.

"The Union Home Minister was supposed to visit NEPA to attend the passing-out parade of the trained police personnel. But in view of the law and order situation in the northeastern region, especially n Assam, his visit was postponed," a top official of NEPA told IANS.

The official said the passing out parade of the last batch of trained police personnel is also postponed. "We would fix up the new schedule in consultation with the Union Home Ministry," said the official.

The NEPA, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, was set up in July 1978 in Ri-Bhoi District in northern Meghalaya to provide training to the police officers and different categories of policemen of the northeastern states.

In view of the violent agitations, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates trains in some parts of Bihar and West Bengal besides in entire northeastern region, either cancelled or rescheduled as many as 43 trains, including Rajdhani Express, on Friday.

According to a press Release, issued by the NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda, the important trains cancelled include Howrah-Kamrup Express, Kanyakumari Bibek Express, Guwahai Janshatabdi Express, Kanchanjungha Express, Humsafar Express.

"Rajdhani Express which left New Delhi on December 12 would be short-terminated at Guwahati and would remain partially cancelled between Guwahati and Dibrugarh.

The New Delhi Rajdhani Express of December 16 would also remain partially cancelled between Dibrugarh-Guwahati and would start from Guwahati on December 17.

A few trains of December 14, 15 and 16 would also remain cancelled in Assam," the release added.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately met top leaders of three Tripura tribal based parties -- Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), junior ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Joint Movement Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (JMACAB), a conglomeration of many tribal parties, and Tripura People's Front (TSP) -- in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed the new citizenship law and other issues.

Former Tripura state Congress Chief and royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, who quit the party a few months back over the CAB issue, also met Shah along with TSP supremo Patal Kanya Jamatia.

All the leaders of three organisations have demanded that Tripura be kept out of the purview of the new law. IPFT Assistant General Secretary and party spokesman Mangal Debbarma told IANS over phone from Delhi that that they have also demanded more autonomy to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to protect and the improve the socio-economic condition of the indigenous tribals, who form one-third of Tripura's four million population.

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for the creation of a separate state for the indigenous tribals by upgrading the TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals.

The CAB before becoming a law was passed both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh with a cut-off date as December 31, 2014.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Stating that the situation in the Northeast states was disturbing and Army action was not the answer, the Congress Party has asked the government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.

Speaking during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said that the situation could have been avoided had the government not rushed into the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) which grants citizenship to illegal non-Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

The Rajya Sabha MP has appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a meeting of the Chief Ministers of all the states to find a solution to the problem.

He said that the local people in the Northeastern states, especially Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur fear influx of immigrants, which could disturb their culture and composition of the society.

The former minister noted that many of the states share International Border with Bangladesh, China and Bhutan and, hence, could impact relations with these countries.

"The situation cannot be allowed to aggravate further. It is the duty of all of us. The Rajya Sabha being the Council of States has a special responsibility. We cannot be silent," Anand Sharma said.

Following the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, some parts of the Northeast, especially Assam have been on the boil. In many parts of the state, curfew has been imposed. On Thursday, two people were killed after police opened fire on them for defying the curfew order.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned after one of the members raised the issue of a remark made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Lower House. Some of the MPs from the treasury bench raised slogans of 'Rahul Gandhi maafi maango' (apologise) over the former Congress president's 'rape in India' remark.

The Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu urged the members to maintain order in the House. But, when the members continued to shout, the Chairman adjourned the House till 12 noon.

Source: IANS

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Venkatram Narendra Puppala

New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Centre on Thursday issued a statement in a bid to make the provisions of Citizenship Amendment Bill clearer for the people of North-East. The Bill has passed the legislative test in Parliament.

The Home Minister said the Bill did not dilute the 'Assam Accord'. "The Union government is committed to implementing the Assam Accord. There is a Standing Committee in MHA to monitor implementation of the accord. The CAB does not dilute the sanctity of Assam Accord as far as the cut-off date of March 24, 1971, stipulated for detection/deportation of illegal immigrants, is concerned."

The CAB, which has a cut-off date December 31, 2014, is a special legislation intended to address the concerns of only a few identified minorities on humanitarian grounds.

The government has said that CAB is not Assam-centric. It is applicable to the whole country and it is definitely not against the NRC, which is being updated to protect indigenous communities from illegal immigrants.

The Union government said it has constituted a committee comprising eminent personalities of Assam to recommend steps for implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord. "The government has also said that constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people."

The government further said: "No provision of Article 371 would be violated by this Bill." It also clarified that "provisions of the amendments to the Citizenship Act would not be applicable to the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, as included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution" in order to remove the doubts about indigenous communities of the north-eastern part of the country.

Talking about the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime, the ministry said that "the areas regulated under 'The Inner Line' permit have been exempted. Manipur will also be brought under the ILP as announced on Wednesday.

The government said it aims "to target genuine refugees and not intruders." In the statement, the government said the Bill is not applicable in Assam only, but the entire country.

"Persons facing religious persecution are not settled only in Assam but in other parts of the country also. The fear that Assam will have to bear extra burden is misplaced. Further, Bengali Hindus over generations have immensely contributed to the economic development of the state."

The government tried to make the Bill more comprehensive on mass migration and said, "Large-scale migration on account of religious persecution is now a remote possibility" because most of the migration has already happened after the independence and, moreover, CAB has a cut-off date and will not be available for members of the religious minorities who will migrate to India after the cut-off date.

The NDA government has been facing charge that the legislation would disturb the demographic structure of N-E states. It said that CAB will not lead to domination of Bengali speaking people because "most of the Hindu Bengali population is settled in Barak Valley of Assam, where Bengali is declared the second state Language".

"Hindu Bengalis are settled in isolated pockets and have adapted themselves to Assamese language in the Brahmaputra Valley."

The government also said that there is perfect harmony between the two linguistic groups at present which will continue even after CAB is passed.

Reiterating that CAB applies to minorities from other countries, the Home Ministry said that the Bill "has no connection to minorities in Assam."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Congress on Thursday described the situation in Assam as "extremely disturbing" and accused the BJP-led Central government of provoking the sentiments of the people of the state by passing the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Speaking to the media in the Parliament, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "The situation in Assam right now is extremely disturbing. The protest in Guwahati is far worse than what we have witnessed in the last two days."

He said that many people have said the protests in Assam is "unprecedented" and that this level of public outrage and anger on the streets has not been seen in the last 20-25 years.

Gogoi's remarks came a day after the Rajya Sabha passed the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, two days after it was passed in the Lok Sabha.

The CAB seeks to give Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

The Bill was vehemently opposed by major opposition parties, which described it as "against the Muslim community", a charge the government rejected by saying that it did not affect the Muslim community residing in the country.

On Thursday, Assam continued to be on the boil as anti-CAB protesters set ablaze the house of an MLA, torched vehicles and burnt down a circle office even as the state government removed two key police officers, including the Guwahati Police Commissioner.

The Army conducted flag march in Guwahati, while the authorities extended the suspension on internet services across the state for another 48 hours, even as most airlines cancelled flights to and from Dibrugarh and Guwahati, while train movement was also halted.

Gogoi said the local media informed him about the firing going on in many places in Guwahati.

Lamenting at the Narendra Modi-led government, Gogoi said, "We express concern, but, at the same time, we understand that this level of outrage has been provoked by the way the BJP has run short with this Bill."

Firing salvos at the government, Gogoi said, "What was the urgency when you saw people of the Northeast protesting after the Lok Sabha passed the Bill? Why didn't the government show caution before passing the Bill in Rajya Sabha?

"This arrogance is what is provoking the people of Assam and Northeast and that is why I had said in my speech that people are not slaves. This is an elected government of the people, for the people and by the people, but it seems that BJP has insulted the Northeast, ignored the Northeast, forgotten the Northeast," he said.

Gogoi also accused the BJP leaders of making provocative statements in which they undermined the credibility of the public protests, saying that they were linked to a political party.

"Please understand, these protests are not linked to any political party or organisation. These are spontaneous public outbursts and instead of adopting a conciliatory approach, the Army is being sent, internet is being snapped.

"It has also come to our notice that the government is sending circulars to channels, discouraging them from showing what the real picture is in the Northeast and in Assam," Gogoi added.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid unrest in some north-eastern states following the passage of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday met a delegation of Tripura and assured them that their concerns would be addressed.

Shah thanked the delegation for calling off their strike in the state over CAB.

"Met with the delegations of the IPFT (Indigenous People's Front of Tripura) and Joint Movement Against CAB from Tripura and discussed their concerns over CAB. Modi government will try to solve their issues in a positive way. I thank them for their appeal to maintain peace and call off the strike," Shah said in a tweet.

According to Home Ministry sources, Anthony Debbarma, Convenor, and B.K. Hrangkhawal, member of the Joint Movement against CAB, met the Home Minister and apprised him of their concerns. "The Home Minister assured them that their concerns will be addressed".

Shah also met former Tripura Congress chief and member of the state's royal family Pradyot Deb Barman and President of TPF (Tripura People Front).

Shah said, "Had a meeting with Kirit Pradyot Deb Barman, head of Manikya Dynasty, the royal family of Tripura, and Patal Kanya Jamatia, President of TPF."

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the CAB, two days after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. The CAB seeks to give Indian nationality to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Bill was vehemently opposed by major opposition parties objecting to its nature and describing it "against Muslim community", which the government rejected, saying it does not affect the community residing in the country.

Following the passage of the CAB, there has been a massive protest in several north-eastern states. Mobile and internet were suspended for another 24 hours in Tripura after the 48-hour blockade ended on Thursday afternoon.

Source: IANS

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Agartala, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Suspension of mobile internet services had been extended for another 24-hours in Tripura after the 48-hour blockade ended on Thursday afternoon, officials said.

No fresh incidents in connection with opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) have been reported in the state on Thursday.

"Though the situation is normal in the state, rumour mongers are trying to spread fake news to create ethnic troubles and law and order disturbances. As precautionary measures, the suspension of mobile internet services were extended for another 24-hour in all eight Tripura districts," a home department official told IANS.

The mobile internet services were suspended on Tuesday when the agitation against the CAB turned violent.

A Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Department official said the public distribution services were largely affected due to suspension of the mobile-based internet services. Banking and various other public utility services were also hit due to it, the official added.

According to the police and the civil administration officials, except for some stray incidents in four of the eight districts in the past 24 hours, the situation was largely normal on Thursday.

According to a senior police officer in Agartala, some miscreants set afire a vehicle and few shops in the Dhalai district on Wednesday night. "In a separate incident, some anti-CAB groups set afire few shops at Taidu in the Gomati district of southern Tripura," the officer said.

District Magistrates of the two troubled and mixed population districts -- Dhalai and North Tripura -- said the situation was normal. "Troopers of the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) were deployed in the Dhalai district. No fresh incident was reported on Thursday. Only some rumour mongers trying to spread fake news," Brahmneet Kaur, DM (Dhalai), told IANS over phone.

North Tripura District Magistrate Raval H. Kumar said the situation in the district was peaceful. "Some para-military troopers from the Assam Rifles were deployed on Wednesday and now they have left. Only the BSF and the TSR troopers are there," he told IANS.

A six-member delegation of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), junior ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), went left for Delhi on Wednesday to discuss with Home Minister Amit Shah the CAB, which has been passed by Parliament.

Source: IANS

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By Sfoorti Mishra

New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Ace footballer and Hamro Sikkim Party founder and president Bhaichung Bhutia said he is disappointed with the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, the sportstar-turned-politician said "I am speaking on behalf of the people of Sikkim that we are very disappointed with the Bill since Sikkim is excluded from the CAB in writing like other North East states have been mentioned in the Bill. Although the Home Minister had spoken about Sikkim in the Parliament but it is not in writing in the Bill."

He also said that the Bill is completely against Article 371 that safeguards the interests and rights of the people of Sikkim. "We are deeply disheartened with the bill since it is completely against Article 371 that safeguards us."

Speaking about the protests in Assam, Bhutia said "We also have the same issue that Assam and other northeastern states have. We also have a major influx issue in Sikkim. The indigenous people of Sikkim are completely vanishing and are constantly under threat."

Talking about the issues that the state of Sikkim is facing, he said "Unemployment is the biggest challenge that Sikkim is facing today. We are a very small state and already second highest unemployed state of India. In a small state like Sikkim where there is a bill like CAB that allows a lot of people in, not only now but in the future as well lot of employment and other opportunities will be lost. This Bill is against the sentiments of people of Sikkim."

Source: IANS

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Srinagar, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) In order to maintain law and order in Northeast, 12 additional companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were moved to Kashmir on Thursday, sources told IANS.

The sources also said that 40 companies have so far been moved from Kashmir to the Northeast after the region boiled over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

More than 100 companies of CRPF were deployed in Jammu and Kashmir before the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5. The thinning of security forces from Kashmir has started with the movement of CRPF companies to the Northeast.

People have been agitating in the Northeast, particularly in Assam, against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by both the Houses of the Parliament earlier this week.

The Bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

Source: IANS

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By Narendra Puppala

New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) The agitators protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 are primarily targeting government offices and facilities such as railway stations but the situation is under control, Dibrugarh SP Gautam Borah told IANS on Thursday.

Despite curfew was imposed since Wednesday, anti-CAB protestors in Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal's hometown Dibrugarh, continued violent protests.

Anticipating the situation to further deteriorate, Borah said that the police forces are stretched thin because protestors are simultaneously striking at different locations.

"People are coming out in large numbers. We require more forces as 4,000 to 5,000 people are gathering at some places. I have spoken to my higher ups for reinforcements because these incidents are taking place at the same time in different places," said Borah.

In the wake of the CAB getting the Parliament's nod on Wednesday, protests had flared up in Assam. Agitators pelted stones at the Chief Minister's home on Wednesday.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Singer Papon has called off his Delhi concert this weekend because his home state "Assam is burning, crying and under curfew".

The singer, whose real name is Angaraag Mahanta, is known for hits such as "Jiyein kyun" and "Moh moh ke dhaage". He was scheduled to perform at Imperfecto Shor in Delhi on Friday.

"Dear Delhi, I am very sorry but I have decided not to do the concert tomorrow at 'imperfectoshor' as planned! My home state Assam is burning, crying and under curfew! I won't be able to entertain you the way I should in my present state of mind," Papon tweeted on Thursday.

"I know this is unfair on you as you had bought tickets and planned long ahead. I am sure the organizers will take care of that in someway and as promised I'll see you all on another day in future! I hope you will understand," he added.

The entire Northeast, especially Assam, has been witnessing violent protests ever since the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday midnight. The situation further escalated after the bill was cleared in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday evening. Mobile Internet services in Assam have been suspended for another 48 hours.

Papon said it is painful to see Assam burning.

"Humanity is suffering! Assam has been burdened with illegal immigration for decades! We don't deserve this! The diverse, complex mix of the Assamese culture and people and their existence needs to be understood! We need to be heard properly," he posted on Twitter.

Source: IANS

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Agartala, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Except for some stray incidents in three of its eight districts during the past 24 hours in Tripura, the situation was largely normal on Thursday after the agitation since Monday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, officials said.

A senior police official said in Agartala that some elements burnt down a vehicle and a few shops in Dhalai district on Wednesday night.

"In a separate incident some anti-CAB group people burnt down few shops in Taidu in Gomati district (in southern Tripura).

"Some people tried to create disturbances at a few places in Dhalai and North Tripura districts, but alert security forces dispersed them at once," the official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

District Magistrates and Collectors of two troubled and mixed population districts - Dhalai and North Tripura -- said the situation was absolutely normal on Thursday.

"Troopers of Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF) and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) were deployed in Dhalai district. No fresh incident was reported on Thursday. Only some rumour mongers trying to spread fake news," Brahmneet Kaur, DM and Collector(Dhalai) told IANS over phone.

North Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Raval H. Kumar said that the situation in the district was absolutely normal and peaceful.

"Some para-military troopers from Assam Rifles were deployed on Wednesday and now they have left. Only troopers of BSF and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) are there," he told IANS.

A six-member delegation of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), junior ally of the ruling BJP, went to Delhi on Wednesday to hold a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the contentious bill, which has been passed by both Houses of Parliament.

IPFT Assistant General Secretary and party spokesman Mangal Debbarma told IANS over phone from Delhi on Thursday that the party delegation led by General Secretary and Tripura Forest and Tribal Welfare Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia would meet Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday or Friday morning and would urge him to withdraw the CAB.

Debbarma said that Jamatia and other IPFT leaders held a meeting with the BJP-floated grouping of the non-Congress North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor and Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Monday and urged him to take up the CAB issue with the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister.

The JMACAB convener Anthony Debbarma and INPT President Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl after a marathon meeting with Chief Minister Biplab Deb told the media (in the presence of the Chief Minister) that they have called off their indefinite agitation against the CAB in Tripura.

"The Chief Minister assured us that he would take up the CAB issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He promised us that he would convey the sentiments of the indigenous people to the central government. Following the Chief Minister's assurance, we have withdrawn the protest for the time being tonight (Wednesday)," JMACAB convener Anthony Debbarma said.

The JMACAB, which also includes NGOs and civil society groups, while calling an indefinite shutdown in Tripura from Monday, has been agitating against the CAB. The INPT, one of the oldest tribal based parties and a former ally of the Congress, along with other local parties has been protesting against the CAB for the past several months.

Chief Minister Biplab Deb told the media that the agitation against the CAB is unnecessary and against the development of Tripura.

"Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already made it clear that with the enforcement of the CAB, no community or individual belonging to northeast region would be affected," said Deb, who also holds the home portfolio.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday appealed to the people of the state to maintain peace and calm as violent protests continued to break out in most parts of the state over several days against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

"I assure the people of Assam full protection to ensure their idenitity as a whole," Sonowal said in a statement here.

He urged the people of the state "to please come forward and create a situation of peace and tranquility".

"I hope the people will consider this appeal sensibly," he said.

The entire region of northeast, especially Assam, has been witnessing violent protests ever since the CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday midnight.

The situation further escalated after the bill was cleared in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, mobile Internet services in Assam has been suspended for another 48 hours.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Several trains and flights were cancelled on Thursday and all long-distance trains were being terminated at Guwahati, as Assam witnessed widespread violence over the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019.

According to R.D. Vajpayee, Director (Media), Indian Railways, no long-distance train is going beyond Guwahati.

"All these trains are being short terminated at Guwahati and will commence return journey from Guwahati at their scheduled time," he said.

He said from Delhi and other parts of the country, trains going towards the Northeast Frontier will go normally but return from Guwahati.

"Some of the trains whose linked rakes could not be returned from NFR will stand cancelled from Delhi and other parts of the country. Names of these rakes will be notified by concerned Railways. So far, the NR has cancelled three such trains with journey commencing dates on December 15, 16 and 17."

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Northeast Frontier Railway informed that at least 30 trains were cancelled or short terminated.

This includes the Dibrugarh Delhi DBRT Rajdhani Express being cancelled for Friday, and the New Delhi DBRT Rajdhani Express will be terminated at Guwahati and will remain cancelled between Guwahati and Dibrugarh.

Flights too have been cancelled in the area.

IndiGo informed on Twitter that it has cancelled all flights to and from Dibrugarh for Thursday "due to the prevailing situation in Assam".

SpiceJet and GoAir have offered waiver of cancellation fees for all flights to and from Guwahati and Dibrugarh for travel till December 13, "due to ongoing unrest in Assam".

Vistara said it has also cancelled the flights to and from Guwahati and Dibrugarh till December 13, as per government advice due to current disturbances in Assam.

"Due to the ongoing unrest in Assam, we are waiving rescheduling/cancellation fee to the customers travelling to and from Guwahati and Dibrugarh till December 13," the airline tweeted.

Northeast states, including Assam and Tripura, are witnessing violence and agitation after the Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2019.

Assam witnessed widespread violence on Wednesday, with protesters, including students, taking to the streets across the state, especially Guwahati where the state government has declared an indefinite curfew aimed at maintaining law and order. The administration has also suspended mobile internet service in 10 districts of the state.

Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the region to bring the situation under control.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured the people of Assam that they need not worry about the Bill and that he and his government were committed to constitutionally safeguard the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people.

Source: IANS

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BY SUMIT KUMAR SINGH

New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) To control the deteriorating law and order situation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019, eight columns of the Indian Army was on Thursday deployed to Assam and Tripura as per the requests made by the governments of the two states,Army Spokesperson Aman Anand said.

Five columns, each consisting of 70 soldiers and one or two officers, were deployed in Assam, while three columns of Assam Rifles have been deployed in Tripura.

Army sources said that the personnel's task would be to help the local administration wherever and whenever required.

Guwahati has become an epicentre of the anti-CAB protests, prompting the Assam government to place the city under an indefinite curfew.

Both Assam and Tripura plunged into chaos after the Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on Monday midnight and the situation deteriorated after the legislation passed its final hurdle in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday night.

Internet services have been suspended in both the states over fears of the misuse of social media to disturb peace.

An order issued by the Tripura government also prohibits SMSs on all networks of mobile service providers.

In Assam, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was stuck at the airport earlier on Wednesday after the protests broke out. He however, managed to reach his residence through the city.

The region is witnessing widespread protests over the Bill, which allows six immigrant communities, barring Muslim, from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh for Indian citizens.

Protesters have expressed concerns that refugees allowed by the Bill could endanger identity and livelihood of indigenous people.

Before bringing the Bill in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held extensive meetings with all the stakeholders in the northeast and made appropriate exceptions.

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) To control the deteriorating law and order situation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019, eight columns of the Indian Army was on Thursday deployed to Assam, as CRPF-BSF personnel Tripura as per the requests made by the governments of the two states.

While reports earlier suggested that five columns, each consisting of 70 soldiers and one or two officers, were deployed in Assam, and three columns have been deployed in Tripura. Officials in Agartala told IANS that it was only the Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force's paramilitary personnel taking care of the unrest in Tripura.

Army sources said that the personnel's task would be to help the local administration wherever and whenever required.

Guwahati has become an epicentre of the anti-CAB protests, prompting the Assam government to place the city under an indefinite curfew.

Both Assam and Tripura plunged into chaos after the Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on Monday midnight and the situation deteriorated after the legislation passed its final hurdle in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday night.

Internet services have been suspended in both the states over fears of the misuse of social media to disturb peace.

An order issued by the Tripura government also prohibits SMSs on all networks of mobile service providers.

In Assam, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was stuck at the airport earlier on Wednesday after the protests broke out. He however, managed to reach his residence through the city.

The region is witnessing widespread protests over the Bill, which allows six immigrant communities, barring Muslim, from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh for Indian citizens.

Protesters have expressed concerns that refugees allowed by the Bill could endanger identity and livelihood of indigenous people.

Before bringing the Bill in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held extensive meetings with all the stakeholders in the northeast and made appropriate exceptions.

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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