Government Employees in Assam to Go On Strike Against Citizenship Bill

The Sodou Asom Karmachari Parishad (SAKP). on Tuesday, joined hands with the All Assam Students Union (AASU) against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The two organisations also stated that they would push for an error-free NRCand  meet with the Deputy Commissioners of each district to emphasize on it.

On May 18, the two groups would observe Prerona Diwas to encourage the officials involved in the NRC process. On June 4, they will stage a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan against the Citizenship Bill.

The SAKP represents 4.3 lakh government employees in Assam. They had earlier supported AASU during the six-year Assam Agitation between 1979 and 1985 under the slogan dexothoi sarkori dangor nohoi (jobs are not greater than the country).

Adding to the opposition against the Bill, a 100-hour road blockade has been effected in Dibrugarh by the Jatiya Janogosthiyo Oikya Manch on Tuesday. They had earlier launched a rail blockade against the Bill at Chabua in Dibrugarh district. However, it failed to attract the Union Government's attention. Hence, they have blocked the arterial road between Dibrugarh and Lahowal. This blockade is different, as the coal-laden trucks and Oil India Limited tankers ply on the blocked road. The protesters also burned effigies of the Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal and Prime Minister Modi.

Meanwhile, in Guwahati, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has been pushing the government to hold a special session in the assembly on the Citizenship Bill issue. Citing the example of Meghalaya, where the cabinet made clear its stand on the Bill, they stated that the government's silence on the issue should warrant a special session. The NCP held a demonstration against the Bill and submitted a memorandum to the CM. The All Moran Students Union, on the other hand, has launched a signature campaign where they expect to receive 1 lakh signatures against the Bill.