Ruckus in Assam assembly as opposition rakes up Citizenship Bill protests

Noisy scenes prevailed in the Assam assembly on the opening day of the Budget Session on Monday, with opposition parties shouting slogans against the controversial citizenship bill. Amid demonstrations, the House was adjourned for 45 minutes.

Soon after Governor Jagdish Mukhi ended his tribute to Assam's legendary singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika for being conferred the 'Bharat Ratna', AGP president Atul Bora raised the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill issue. The Congress, the AIUDF along with AGP MLAs held up placards demanding to scrap of the bill.

The opposition members then rushed to the well of the House, as the Governor read his speech, following which it was adjourned by Speaker Hiten Goswami for 45 minutes. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed in Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Several outfits in the northeast have opposed the bill, claiming it would undermine the rights of the indigenous people of the region.