After the proclamation of CAA, the entire nation is raising its voice against the bill and condemning it. Students, artists, civil society organizations, lawyers, filmmakers, different political personalities, actors and many more people are continually protesting.
On December 23, 2019, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) along with 30 other organizations, the tea industry tribes, different literary organizations, women, artists, academicians, and student leaders raised their voices in opposition of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) through a non-violent and peaceful protest.
From 11 am yesterday, near Thana Chariali at Dr Bhupen Hazarika Smriti Parishar and Tirap mouza Dihing-Patkai Samanvya Kshetra’s Chukafa Rangamancha on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border of Tinsukia town, even the senior citizens united for a three-hour protest. Assamese short story writer Jayanta Kumar Chakravorty said, “The people will never accept a law which is detrimental to the Assam Accord”. Debajit Mazumdar and Sharmistha Chakraborty from the Assam cinema diligence were there as well.
Maya Barua, 73, said, “Our agitation is very peaceful and democratic. We will not accept CAA at any cost. It has to go.” Tinsukia district also witnessed another protest which had hundreds of women carrying the sporting ‘gamosas’, who congregated at the North Margherita Rangamancha raising slogans like “Joi Aai Axom (glory to mother Assam)” and “CAA aami namanu (we will not accept CAA”.
Senior citizen Dipak Talukdar said, “We will try our best to protect the rights of the people and pass on a healthy society to the next generation by fighting against the law till our last breath.” At Tangla town in Udalguri district of lower Assam, the senior citizens, academicians, artists, and student leaders united for a protest organized by AASU holding different placards with slogans such as “We will give blood but not accept CAA”. A sexagenarian Prafulla Baruah recited a self-composed protest poem.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora said, “The Congress is always with the people of Assam and against enforcement of CAA.” Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, former ministers Rakibul Hussain and Prithivi Majhi, Doomdooma MLA Durga Bhumij, Tinsukia district Congress president Jayant Kalita and former Chabua MLA Raju Sahu were the other personalities who were present at that time. Reports said that the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) would soon organize Gana Samavesh in Tinsukia town on December 26, 2019.
Not only in Tinsukia but in Dibrugarh district, too, the tea garden workers took to the roads in reaction to a call by the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) and the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS). The former DoNER minister Paban Singh Ghatowar, Majhi and AASU – All Assam Students’ Union general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi addressed a massive crowd of tea workers at Chawalkhowa playground which is 7 km away from Dibrugarh.
The AASU has called a huge protest rally at Chowkidinghee playground in Dibrugarh today. The Bir Lachit Sena and Asom Sahitya Sabha have jointly organized a group protest at Barbaruah playground, 10 km from Dibrugarh. AASU assistant general secretary Jayanta Kumar Bhattacharya said, “The BJP leaders of Assam are not the guardians of Assamese people to forcefully impose an act which is detrimental to the indigenous people.”