Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
The controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill became a law after President Ram Nath Kovind passed it on December 13.
Violent protests in Assam against the bill left two protesters dead, and 11 with bullet wounds on the very same day.
People in Assam are demanding unconditional withdrawal of the contentious bill as they fear it will allow thousands of Bangladeshis to move to India, swamping their language, culture and traditions.
Advertisement
The controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill became a law after President Ram Nath Kovind passed it on December 13. As per the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there --- will not be treated as illegal immigrants and granted Indian citizenship.
The bill sparked protests in India’s North East ever since the cabinet decided to introduce it as a bill in Lok Sabha. In 2016, a decision to table the bill was restrained after a massive backlash from Assam. However, union home minister Amit Shah tabled the bill in Lok Sabha on December 11, 2019.
Here’s why Assam is at the heart of the massive protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill:
Violent protests in Assam against the Citizenship Amendment Bill left two protesters dead, and 11 with bullet wounds on December 13, 2019.
The bill relaxes citizenship applications for non-Muslim religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan
. As per The Citizenship Act, 1955, Indian citizenship is given to someone who is either born in India, or has Indian parents or has resided in India for a specific period of time. In the current form, the bill relaxes ‘specific time’ from 11 years (out of 14 years) to 6 years.
People in Assam are demanding unconditional withdrawal of the contentious law as they fear it will allow thousands of people from Bangladesh to move to India — ruining their language, culture and traditions.
Protesters say that the bill is against the Assam Accord 1979 and nullifies the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
People burnt tires on the roads, threw bricks at the police, forcibly shut down shops and markets in Assam after CAB moved to the Rajya Sabha for approval.
Guwahati has become an epicentre of the anti-CAB protests, prompting the Assam government to place the city under an indefinite curfew. Angry protesters burn tires and wrote "No CAB" with white chalk on a street.
The protesters tried to march towards the state secretariat and burnt tyres on the roads, creating a volatile situation. The police tried to control the unrest by firing rubber bullets and lobbying tear gas shells.
Credits:PTI
Incidents of violence were reported from various parts of Assam, with at least 25 protesters sustaining injuries in police baton charge.
Credits:PTI
The Assam government imposed an indefinite curfew clamped following deteriorating law and order situation on December 12, 2019. PM Modi in a series of tweets reassured that the identity of the people of Assam will be preserved and will continue to thrive.
Credits:PTI
The government also shut the internet down. As of now, curfew was relaxed in Dibrugarh municipal area, while the Army and security forces have continued flag marches in Guwahati city.