The Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) and affiliated colleges, along with the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) of Arunachal Pradesh remained closed on Wednesday along with the rest of the universities and colleges in the Northrast to show their resentment against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
During the shutdown, all official work and classes remained suspended.
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However, official vehicles were allowed to ply.
“This shutdown was our way of showing solidarity to all those who have been fighting against the CAA since day one and it is also to draw the attention of the judiciary towards the ills of the Act,” said Students Union of NERIST president Tadar Mamang.
On the Supreme Court’s refusal to stay the Act, RGU Students’ Union president Dopum Sonam said, “The judiciary seems to be losing its credibility at this juncture and has hurt the expectations of the people.”
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“My concern is the future of our state and the country. We see CAA as an arbitrary, discriminatory unconstitutional, divisive and unwanted law which will contribute nothing to the country in the near future, but only cause more chaos,” he added.
He informed that the RGUSU would continue to carry out peaceful modes of protests and awareness campaigns highlighting the ill effects of the Act on the people of the North East and Arunachal Pradesh during the four-week’s time given to the Centre for a response by the Supreme Court.
“We will continue our movement in consultation with all the stakeholders and citizens concerned until the act is repealed,” Sonam added.
Apart from RGU-affiliated colleges and the NERIST, a few non-affiliated colleges in the capital region and several colleges in the state, such as
Government Model College Seppa, St Claret College Ziro, Indira Gandhi Government College Tezu, Jawaharlal Nehru College Pasighat, and others also joined the shutdown.
The RGUSU and NERIST, along with colleges of the capital are also set to carry out a cultural protest rally on 24 January from Akashdeep to the tennis court in IG Park.