Troops airlifted to Northeast as protests turn turbulent

Resmi Sivaram

Protests in India’s Northeastern states against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill flared up on Wednesday and the Centre airlifted 5,000 paramilitary personnel for maintenance of law and order.

The Bill was being hotly debated in the upper chamber, Rajya Sabha, when states including Assam and Tripura saw protesters swelling in the streets. A shutdown on Tuesday paralysed normal life in Assam.

Nearly 20 companies (2,000 personnel) have been withdrawn from Kashmir and flown to the Northeast, officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. Another 30 companies were rushed to Northeastern states from other regions.

The troops are from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The officials said the Army has deployed two columns in Tripura while in one is requisitioned in Assam’s Bongaigaon as the protest turned violent.

They said a large group of students fought a pitched battle outside the state secretariat in Assam on Wednesday. Force was used and several students were injured in baton-charge.

Students also clashed with the police in Dibrugarh district, prompting the police to fire tear gas shells and rubber bullets.

As Guwahati resembled a war zone, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was among those stuck at Guwahati Airport.

Sonowal later urged protestors to not spread misinformation about the Bill to create panic among the masses. Assuring the people that his government would not do anything to jeopardise the identity of the Assamese race, he called all sections of the society to work for bringing positive change through hard work and dedication.

Separately, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the protests are happening as “the issue has not been communicated properly.” Speaking to the media here on the sidelines of 9th Global Sports Summit ‘Turf 2019’, organised by FICCI, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said: “There are protests going on... there are concerns but those concerns are being addressed.” “The issue has not been communicated properly or some people don’t want to understand. We don’t want northeastern region to fall in the trap of some mis-campaigning,” the Minister, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said.

The All Assam Students’ Union and the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) are leading the agitation. Several Left-leaning organisations, including the SFI, DYFI, AIDWA, AISF and AISA are also in the protest.

The Indian Army stated that the civil administration has requested its assistance in maintaining law and order situation in Assam and Tripura.

“Three Army columns requisitioned by civil administration so far in Tripura and Assam. Two (Tripura) are deployed and third (Assam) is standby,” an Army statement said.

The Northeast Frontier Railway cancelled many trains and rescheduled many trains that originate from Assam. “At least 14 trains have either been cancelled, short terminated or diverted anticipating disruptions in train movement,” NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda said in a statement.

The Tripura government shut down mobile internet and SMS services across the state for 48 hours.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the Bill a “criminal attack on the Northeast.” “The CAB is a attempt by Modi-Shah Govt to ethnically cleanse the North East. It is a criminal attack on the North East, their way of life and the idea of India,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted. “I stand in solidarity with the people of the North East and am at their service,” he wrote.

Union minister Jitendra Singh called Rahul Gandhi’s comment outrageous and the North-East actually suffered for over half a century under Congress rule. “It is outrageous what Rahul Gandhi is saying. The extent of neglect that the North-East has suffered for over half a century under Congress rule is a testimony in itself,” Singh said.