Students’ organisations across the eight northeastern States relaunched their movement against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by observing a black day on Friday, marking the passage of the law in the Rajya Sabha in 2019.
The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), the apex body of the States and tribe-based student bodies in the region, said they will continue to protest and observe December 11 as a black day until the citizenship law is scrapped.
The NESO is comprised of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union, Khasi Students’ Union, Mizo Zirlai Pawl, Garo Students’ Union, Naga Students’ Federation, Twipra Students’ Federation and All Manipur Students’ Union.
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“Members of our constituent organisations displayed black flags and banners at all the important locations across the region. We want the Centre to know we have not forgotten the snub to our opposition to the disastrous Act,” NESO chairman Samuel B. Jyrwa said.
AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya said the indigenous people of the northeast will never accept CAA. “But we will ensure our protests are peaceful,” he added.
The NESO had called a region-wide shutdown on December 10, 2019, after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. The protests turned violent the following day, leading to the death of five people, three of them in police firing.
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The AASU, Krishak Muti Sangram Samiti and other organisations will relaunch the Assam-specific movement against the CAA on Saturday.