Protests erupt in India’s Assam over Citizenship Amendment Bill

NEW DELHI, Dec 10, 2019, DNA. Protests have erupted in Assam after Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 was passed in Lok Sabha on late Monday night with 311 MPs voting in favour and 80 against the Bill, DNA reported.

The protest is being carried out by All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in Dibrugarh. Meanwhile, shops are also closed in Guwahati following a 12-hour ‘bandh’ call by North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) and AASU against Citizenship Amendment Bill.

After hours of debate and high drama, the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on late Monday night. The Bill was introduced in the Lower House by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who point by point explained and exerted upon the importance of the Bill and its requirement in the country.

Several members of the opposition said that Bill was against the minorities, however, rebutting to opposition’s claim, Home Minister Amit Shah said that it was not against the minorities and nighter it was a political move.

The Bill proposes to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955. It was discussed amid huge uproar from Opposition parties and protests in northeast states. The Bill was now be tabled in Rajya Sabha to get its nod.

The House witnessed a fierce debate with AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi even tearing a copy of the Bill, calling it unconstitutional. “Ye aur ek partition hone ja raha hai (One more partition is about to happen). This Bill is against the Constitution of India and disrespect to our freedom fighters. I tear the Bill, it is trying to divide our country,” he said.

Responding to the questions, Amit Shah said that “Under no dimension, this bill is unconstitutional, or is against Article 14.”

Defending the government, Shah also added that there will be no discrimination on the basis of religion. “The Hindu population was 84% and in 2011, it was 79%. In 1991, the Muslim population was 9.8% & today it’s 14.23%. We have done no discrimination on the basis of religion and in the future as well, there will be no discrimination based on religion,” he said.

The Home Minister also stated that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and its residents belong to India. “Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is ours, the people there are also ours. Even today, we have reserved 24 seats for them in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly,” he informed the House.