- Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were to meet in Guwahati on December 15-16.
- Home Minister Amit Shah was to attend an event in Shillong on Sunday, the situation is still sensitive there
- Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh said- Citizenship law will not be implemented
- Northeast’s Assam had most aggressive protest against the law, curfew in many districts; internet is on half for third day.
Protest against the citizenship law has been going on for 5 days in the northeastern states including Assam. Protests have also started in Bengal. Thousands of Muslims took out a rally in protest against the law here on Friday. The ongoing protests in the northeastern states, including Assam, are also having a major impact. The meeting of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Guwahati on 15-16 December has been postponed. Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Shillong has also been canceled. He was to attend an event here on Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, President Ram Nath Kovind approved the Citizenship Amendment bill, after which it became law.
Protest was launched by student organizations and Left parties in Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur in the northeast, including Assam, against the citizenship law. Many incidents of arson, sabotage occurred during this period. 3 people lost their lives in police firing in Guwahati. The BJP MLA’s house and railway station in Dibrugarh were set on fire.
Center said – states do not have the right to deny the law
Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh said that they would not enforce citizenship laws in their states. On this, the central government said that states cannot refuse to implement the central law. They do not have this right. Earlier, Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee had said that you can pass the bill forcefully in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, but we will not let you divide the country. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that anti-national legislation has no place in our state.
India and Japan postponed tour by mutual talks – Ravish Kumar
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ravish Kumar said – Modi-Abe was to have bilateral talks. However, both countries have postponed it after negotiations. The two leaders also had a program in Bishnupur, Manipur. Here both leaders were to pay tribute to the Japanese soldiers who lost their lives in World War II. Earlier, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has also canceled his visit to India.
Opposition of citizenship bill in Delhi-Bengal too
Opposition to the Citizenship Act also started in Delhi’s Jamia University and west Bengal. In Jamia, members of All India Student Association (AISA) raised slogans against the central government. The police resorted to lathicharge to stop the movement. On the other hand, in Bengal too, thousands of Muslims demonstrated against the Center and the citizenship law.
Curfew continues in Assam after arson and sabotage incidents
Protests are continuing in Assam after the protesters died in police firing. There was no turning down in the curfew here. The situation is tense in many districts of the state. The state capital Guwahati still has an indefinite curfew. The situation here is still sensitive. Internet services are also closed for the third day here. The army is constantly flagging. All trains between Guwahati and Dibrugarh have been canceled. Apart from this, all passenger trains, some long distance trains have also been canceled.
The situation in Tripura improves, but Internet services are still closed
The situation seems to be improving in most parts of Tripura, but on Friday, the newly formed non-tribal union Bengali Oikaya Manch has announced a 48-hour shutdown. Telephone and Internet services have been banned here for the third day. Violent agitation continues in Dhalai and North Tripura District. Meanwhile, rail and road traffic between Dharmanagar and Agartala has been started under heavy security. Thousands of passengers were stranded in Agartala, Ambasa, Kumaraghat and Dharmanagar for the last three days.
Earlier on Thursday night, the delegation from Tripura met Home Minister Amit Shah. Senior tribal leader Bijoy Kumar had told that there was a detailed conversation with Shah. The Shah assured that the interests of the original inhabitants of Tripura would be taken care of.
Curfew removed in Meghalaya, Internet-mobile services still banned
Curfew was removed for 12 hours in the violence-hit areas in Meghalaya on Friday. However, there is a ban on mobile and internet service here. Things are still tense in Shillong. The police officer said that the situation is not completely normal. We are trying to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and a team of ministers have left for Delhi to meet Amit Shah.
BJP will conduct awareness campaign, TMC goes to Supreme Court against the law
The BJP will conduct awareness campaigns in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati and Lucknow between 14-18 December on the Citizenship Amendment Act. Meanwhile, Trinamool MP Mahua Mitra has challenged the law in the Supreme Court. Mahua Mitra’s lawyer said that the Supreme Court can hear the matter on Friday or Monday.
Five Northeastern states had said that we will not implement the citizenship law here. Government sources said that the issue of citizenship comes in the 7th phase of the central list of the constitution. Any such amendment applies to all states.