Bhartiya Janta Patry leader and Tinsukia district president Lakheswar Moran was assaulted by people protesting over the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The incident has reportedly taken place in Tinsukia, where the leader had arrived to attend a Lok Jagran Manch meeting, organised to tackle the misinformation surrounding the contentious bill.
#WATCH Tinsukia, Assam: BJP Dist Pres Lakheswar Moran attacked in a clash b/w RSS and All Assam Students’ Union&Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad. RSS had organised a meeting in Tinsukia near the venue where a protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was underway.(30.01) pic.twitter.com/8iEXAV1Pao
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2019
According to a North East Now report, Moran was greeted with slogans and black flags shown by protestors. Subsequently, the protest took a violent turn after some protesters started chasing the leader. In the video, people can be seen throwing tyres and stones over the leader, and also manhandling him. In the wake of this, police intervened and safely escorted Moran, protecting from further violence.
“The protestors rained blows and kicks on him but the police did not intervene. To escape the mob fury he tried to run but fell down after chased by the protestors. He again tried to flee but once again fell down after hitting a bicycle. It was then the police finally came to his rescue.” A witness was quoted by North East Now.
The protest was reportedly led by All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Former NDA partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP).
After the incident, BJP’s state President Ranjit Kumar Dass has condemned the incident and also said that protestors should not cross the “Laxman Rekha”. A First Information report has also been lodged in regard to the incident. He has also appealed to the state government to nab the perpetrators at earnest. He added that BJP will also send its leaders to Tinsukia district on Thursday to press the administration and urge them to nab the assailants.
“We don’t have any problem if someone protests with black flags or going nudes. But if someone does like it was done in case of our Tinsukia district president, our 29 lakh karyakartas (workers) will not remain silent.” Dass was quoted by Times of India.
Dass, earlier, has alleged AASU and Indian National Congress of inciting violence in Nalbari, where Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had gone to lay the foundation stone for a medical college.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on 8th January, seeks an amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, to provide citizenship to the persecuted minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Jains, and Christians) from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The bill is expected to be tabled in Rajya Sabha during the Budget session.
The bill has led many National Democratic Alliance and Northeast Democratic alliance, both led by BJP, partners to oppose the bill, too. Parties like JD(U) and Maharashtra based Shiv Sena have opposed the bill and said that bill will not get their support in the Upper House. Similarly, Megahalya CM Conrad Sanma, Mizoram CM Zoramthanga and Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio have labelled the bill to be against the interest of the region, as it will allow the influx of immigrants and will lead to the dilution of regional culture.
