Situation in Northeast under control: Rajnath on Citizenship Bill; Updates

Situation in Northeast under control: Rajnath on Citizenship Bill; Updates Chaos reigned in all northeastern states over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan

A view of a deserted flyover during a strike called by All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Guwahati.

Current Affairs: The Lok Sabha passed on Tuesday the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill amid a walkout by several Opposition parties, including the Congress and Trinamool Congress. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who piloted the Bill, said the proposed amendments in the law were not against the provisions of the Constitution and would provide succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries. Several Opposition members, including those from the Trinamool Congress, Congress and Left parties, said the Bill was potentially divisive, and would push demographically sensitive Assam and West Bengal.

All northeastern states witnessed chaos over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to nonMuslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. As the situation turned grim, police in Dibrugarh resorted to lathi charge, tear gas and firing rubber bullets to disperse protestors vandalising properties.

Meanwhile, all of Assam — barring the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley — supported the All Assam Students’ Union's (AASU's) call for a total shutdown, as streets wore a deserted look across the state.

Rajnath Singh on Wednesday addressed the Rajya Sabha on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Here's what he said: — We respect the Assam Accord and the interests and culture of the Assamese population will be...read more

→News Source: BS/Business Standard←