Northeast Protests: Amit Shah accuses Congress of 'fanning violence' over CAA

Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday has pinned the blame on the Congress party of rousing violence that has gripped the northeast states against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Addressing a poll rally in Giridih, Jharkhand, Amit Shah claimed that the passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, has caused a "stomach ache" to the grand old party. President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on Thursday night, turning it into an Act. 

He said, "We have brought the amended Citizenship Act and the Congress got a stomach ache and is fanning violence against it," he said. In the wake of vehement protests unleashed across Northeast India and the snapping of internet services in Assam until December 16, Amit Shah assured the people Northeast that their culture, language, social identity and political rights will be not be affected. "I assure (the people of) Assam and (other) northeastern states that their culture, social identity, language, and political rights will be untouched and the Narendra Modi government will protect them," he said.

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Amit Shah said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has met him over the issue. "I assured him (Sangma) of constructively discussing the issues to find a solution," the BJP national president Amit Shah added. The Home Minister canceled his impending visit to Meghalaya on Sunday. The Home Minister was slated to visit the Northeast Police Academy in Shillong which has been witnessing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. 

Protests in Northeast

The Meghalaya government on Thursday suspended mobile internet and messaging services across the state for 48 hours due to deteriorating law and order situation triggered by protests over the bill. Five columns of Army have been deployed to Assam, apart from the Assam rifles which are already stationed in the state. While two persons were killed in police firing in the state on Thursday, tens of thousands of protesters against CAB descended on the streets of Assam on Wednesday, clashing with police, with a large number of protestors detained by the police in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, etc. 

Violent protests were seen in parts of West Bengal for the second consecutive days, wherein the protesters blazed several buses.  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee discouraged people from taking law and order in their hands. She said, "Do not cause damage to government properties. Strict action would be taken against those who are found guilty in creating disturbances," PTI quoted a statement released from the CMO. 

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As protests rejecting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has taken over the country, the USA, UK and Canada on Friday issued travel advisories to their citizens, asking them to "exercise caution" while traveling to the northeast region. The bill was again passed in the winter session of Lok Sabha with a roaring majority of 311 votes in favour while 80 against the Bill, and in Rajya Sabha with 125 in favour of the bill out of the 245 member Rajya Sabha. Amidst the protest, two Bangladeshi Ministers canceled their visit and Japan PM Shinzo Abe postponed his scheduled visit to Guwahati next week. 

(With PTI inputs)