Citizenship Bill Protest: Gauhati Medical College medicos wear Black Badges on duty

Guwahati: Protests over the contentious Citizenship bill continued in the state. In their protest against the passage of the citizenship bill in the Lok Sabha, junior doctors attached to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital wore black badges to work.

Earlier, students of Jorhat Medical College staged protests at their campus. The protest was joined by two state-run universities and over 15 colleges across Assam who decided on Wednesday to boycott their classes.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha two days ago, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.

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With 'gamosas' (Assamese scarf of honour) in hand, people observed 'Sankalpa Divas' in front of the state secretariat, asserting that the Bill threatened the existence of Assamese people. They warned that the "prime minister and his cabinet colleagues will be stopped from entering the state" if their interests were harmed.

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), which has been leading the agitation along with its 70 partner organisations, had vowed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers would not be allowed to enter the north eastern till the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was scrapped.

Members of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee's legal department raised slogans against the government.

At several educational institutes in Guwahati, students were seen boycotting their classes to take to the streets for a protest march to the state capital Dispur, but their attempt was thwarted by security forces. The student bodies apart from Jorhat Medical College, including Tezpur University, Pub Kamrup College, JB College, DCB College and others held protests in their campuses, although no decision to boycott classes has been taken.

Similar protests were also observed by students in other parts of the state with some of them regretting that they were forced to come out of their classrooms as the government failed to ensure their protection.

The Bill is draconian and communal, KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi told reporters outside the secretariat.

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"If this bill is accepted then the very secular fabric of India will be destroyed. Assamese people have always opposed illegal immigration. If the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed, at least 190 million people from Bangladesh will find their way to Assam, threatening the existence of its original inhabitants," Gogoi said.

Referring to the status of the legislation in Parliament, he said, "Yesterday, it was a victory of sorts as the Upper House did not take up the Bill. We demand that the government revoke the legislation immediately".

Talking about the next course of action, the KMSS chief said, "We will undertake economic blockade programme all across Assam, hold demonstrations against the prime minister, Union cabinet ministers and the chief minister. We will wave black flags at all BJP members and ministers".

Asked about the validity of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) amid the controversy over the Citizenship Bill, he said, "If the Bill is passed, NRC will become redundant. The NRC has been updated and steps will be taken to oust foreigners from the state".

The KMSS leader clarified that he along with other protesters would also refrain from participating in the upcoming Bihu Festival. "We will visit villages across the state to apprise the people about the Bill that poses a danger to their existence," he added.

Over the past two days, agitators across the northeast, including Assam, have blocked thoroughfares and rail tracks, seeking revocation of the Bill.

The protesters clashed with the police, gheraoed Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's house at his native place in Dibrugarh and damaged vehicles.

An 11-hour shutdown was called in Assam on Tuesday by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and North East Students' Organisation (NESO) and supported by over hundred organisations, bringing life to a standstill in Assam.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam on Monday, also extended its support to the bandh.

Three AGP ministers also resigned on Wednesday from the Assam Cabinet, seeking fresh elections in the state.

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