Despite the Magh Bihu, which is one of the major festivals of Assam, is round the corner, protests against the Citizenship Bill, 2016 have taken different forms and the students continue to protest.
At Tihu in Nalbari district, Tihu College remained closed for the third day on Saturday while in Jorhat, students of different colleges undertook a protest by singing songs of patriotic and regional flavour.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Anup Deka, president of Tihu College Students’ Union told Northeast Now that unless a solution was found suitable to all the people of Assam, boycott of classes would continue.
It may be mentioned that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was passed in the Lok Sabha recently but it is yet to get Rajya Sabha nod.
“By no means will we allow the BJP to go ahead with its Hindu Rashtra agenda. More so as this is against the secular tenets of the Indian Constitution,” he said.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
When asked if boycott of classes would not harm students academically, Anup deka said it might obviously harm the students, but when Cotton University students had begun the boycott they were bound to follow suit.
In Jorhat, the cultural protest was held under the aegis of the Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS).
The Jorhat district unit president of SMSS, Bhairob Bora, said patriotic songs and poems were recited by students who had gathered at Baruah Chari Ali with an aim to arouse sentiments against those who were indulging in anti-Assam activities.
Referring to the Centre’s move to get the Citizenship Bill 2016, passed, SMSS leader said this would destroy the secular fabric of Assam and that the identity of Assamese people would come under threat.