PM Modi faces black flags in Guwahati as Citizenship Bill protests intensify

Members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) showed black flags to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shouted slogans against the Citizenship Bill as he travelled to Raj Bhavan from the airport after he arrived in the city on Friday evening. Modi is on a two-day visit to the Northeast.

AASU members were seen waving black flags to the prime minister at Gauhati University gates as he passed the area on his way to the Raj Bhavan around 6.30 pm from Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. Another group of AASU members waved black flags as Modi's carcade whizzed past several minutes later at its headquarters on M G Road.

Slogans like 'Modi go back', 'Scrap Citizenship Amendment Bill', 'Joi Aai Asom' (Glory to Mother Assam) was raised. The demonstrators were restricted to the AASU office compound by the police who locked its gates, claimed AASU chief advisor Sammujal Bhattacharya. The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8 and is awaiting a nod from the Rajya Sabha. It is being opposed by the majority of the Northeastern states.

(With inputs from agencies.)