Citizenship Amendment Act Row: Internet Ban Extended in Assam by 24 Hrs

Guwahati, December 19, 2019:

Amid the ongoing unrest in the country over the contentious amendment of the Citizenship Act, the temporary suspension of mobile internet services and bulk data has again been extended.

The suspension of data is Assam has again been extended for another 24 hours, from 9 am on December 19, 2019, to 9 am on December 20, 2019.

Earlier, it was notified that the services would be resumed at 9:00 AM on December 19, 2019. The denizens of Assam have now been deprived of mobile internet data for the last 24 hours.

ALSO READ: ABVP is Opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act: Fact or Fiction?

This announcement has come amid rising apprehensions in the State over the shutdown of the internet services in the wake of the unrest over the amendment of the Citizenship. Moreover, curfews had also been imposed in several parts of the State. In Guwahati city, which had become the epicentre of the massive protests against the Bill-turned-Act, the curfew was finally lifted on December 17.

It may be mentioned that opposition to the C(A)A is especially fierce in Assam, which borders Bangladesh. Assam is an ethnically diverse region, where it is feared that undocumented migrants from neighboring Bangladesh will now be granted citizenship, and dilute the linguistic and cultural identity of the region.

Meanwhile, protests against the C(A)A have now spread like a wildfire to several other parts of the country. In national capital New Delhi, protests took a violent turn after students of the Jamia Milia Islamia clashed with Delhi police.

Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.