The North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) observed a Black Day across the capitals of northeastern states on Monday, protesting against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for political gains ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Neso’s constituent organizations staged demonstrations, waving black flags and displaying placards against the CAA.
The CAA, 2019 was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019, and sparked violent protests, particularly in Assam, where five people lost their lives in clashes with the police. The issue of illegal infiltration from neighboring Bangladesh has long been a concern for Assam, and the passage of the CAA only amplified the intensity of protests. Protests also erupted in Tripura, another state plagued by the issue of illegal infiltration.
The CAA was passed in 2019, disregarding the sentiments and opinions of the indigenous people of the northeast. Four years have passed, yet the CAA has not been repealed. It continues to pose a threat to the entire northeast and will impact the demographic structure of the region, warned Neso chairman Samuel Jyrwa.
In an effort to amplify their voices, several opposition parties will join the anti-CAA movement, which is set to be relaunched in Guwahati on Tuesday, spearheaded by a coordination committee led by well-known intellectual Hiren Gohain.
The concerns raised by Neso and its allies reflect the sentiments of a significant portion of the population in the northeast. The fear of unwanted demographic change and the perceived neglect of indigenous people’s rights have fueled widespread opposition to the CAA in the region.
It remains to be seen how the government responds to the renewed protests and demands from the northeast. As the anti-CAA movement gains momentum once again, the fate of the controversial act hangs in the balance, with its implementation becoming increasingly entangled in political considerations.
The coming days will witness a significant mobilization of protestors in a bid to catch the attention of the central government and garner support for repealing the CAA. The battle between political interests and the demands of the people of the northeast continues, leaving the region at a crossroads where its future hangs in the balance.
