Agitations in northeast India against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill continued for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, 12 December, with various parties and NGOs urged the government to “respect the sentiments of the people of the region”.
The Indian Army, deployed in Tripura, was on standby in Assam, the epicentre of anti-CAB protests, as several parts of the restive region plunged into chaos.
An army spokesperson said in Shillong that one column each have been deployed in Kanchanpur and Manu in Tripura, while another was asked to be prepared for any eventuality in Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh in Assam.
Tens of thousands of protesters against CAB descended on the streets of Assam, clashing with police and plunging the state into chaos of a magnitude unseen since the violent 6-year movement by students that ended with the signing of the Assam accord.
Though no party or student body has called a shutdown, protesters, a majority of them students, fought pitched battles with security forces in the restive state, including in front of the secretariat, the seat of the BJP government.
Police fired tear gas shells and baton-charged protesters, who fought back.
In Jorhat and Dibrugarh cities, all shops are closed and vehicles off the roads. People have blocked roads and rail tracks at various places in the two districts.
In Lakwa town of Sivasagar, a huge motorcycle rally was brought out.
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