A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: Slogan like ‘We will never accept CAB’, ‘BJP-led Union Government, State Government go back’ and ‘Narendra Modi, Sarbananda Sonowal pooh-pooh’ rent the air across Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts as thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) on Wednesday.
People of Lakhimpur, irrespective caste, creed and religion, staged massive protest opposing the Bill and demanded the scrapping of the same. With the eruption of pent up anger, resentment and grievances against Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the governments at the Centre and the State regarding the issue, the protesters staged agitation against CAB by blocking the NH-15 and almost all the crucial roads of the district.
On the other hand, united protest programme against the controversial Bill was initiated in Lakhimpur district by the anti-CAB organizations in the district. The protest programmes initiated by all the anti-CAB organizations, including AASU and AJYCP, assumed an extensive status. An undeclared bandh engulfed the whole district from Dhalpur to Dhakuakhana. Several thousands of protesting people led by AASU and AJYCP and other anti-CAB organizations, burnt the copy of the CAB and effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the Main Chariali of North Lakhimpur after they took out a massive protest rally covering the town.
Further, the protesters burnt tyres at multiple places of the NH-15 and every nook and corner of the town. The people of larger Nakari area blocked the railway at Nakari by burning tyres for several hours. All the roads of the districts were blocked by the protesters.
Moreover, the Lakhimpur units of 10 organizations, including Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Parishad, KMSS and Gorkha Students’ Union also took out massive protest rally in North Lakhimpur with the participation of thousands of people.
On the other hand, the faculty and employees of North Lakhimpur College (Autonomous) and Lakhimpur Girls’ College also staged protest against CAB. The students of both colleges also initiated stir opposing the Bill. On Wednesday evening, the activists of the Lakhimpur unit of the Sadou Asom Anusuchita Jati Yuba-Chatra Parishad staged torchlight rally in North Lakhimpur town. Similarly, the people in Narayanpur, Dhalpur, Bihpuriya, Boginadi, Chaoldhowa, Ghilamora and Dhakuakhana spontaneously carried out bandh against the CAB and staged protest. Several organizations staged torchlight rally in these places in association with protesting people.