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Guwahati: A second-semester student of IIT-Guwahati was found dead in his hotel room, police said on Friday.
Kamrup's Superintendent of Police Ranjan Bhuyan said the body was found hanging inside his room at Dihing hostel on Wednesday. A suicide note was also found.  "He stated in the note that no one is responsible for his death. Prima facie it does not look like any foul play is involved. However, we are continuing our investigation to find more details" he told PTI.
After post-mortem and due legal formalities, the body has been sent with his parents to his hometown Samastipur in Bihar, the SP said.  The deceased student has been identified as Saurabh, studying in the Computer Science Department.
—PTI

IIT Guwahati tragedy: Second-semester student found dead in hostel. Police suspect suicide, ongoing investigation.

IIT-Guwahati student from Bihar's Samastipur found dead in hostel room

Titabor (Assam): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that an 'exodus' of Congress leaders began after Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through the state.
In an interview with PTI at Titabor in Jorhat district, Sarma slammed Gandhi for raking up topics such as caste census and Manipur violence in Assam without having a proper briefing on the ground situation. He claimed that more leaders of the grand old party will join the BJP after the Lok Sabha elections. "During 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', he (Gandhi) did a lot of (political) harakiri on the roads. People, including Congress leaders, got very offended. That helped us a lot," Sarma said when asked if the yatra would have any impact on Lok Sabha elections in the state. Sarma claimed the exodus from Congress started after the yatra and it is continuing. "Rahul doesn't know the culture of a state. He doesn't study or discuss with his colleagues. He comes and irritates people. If we go to a state, we will have a proper briefing like who are the cultural icons, what things are to be said or not to be said and what are the sensitivities of that state," he added.
The Chief Minister, who travels extensively across India to campaign for BJP during different elections, claimed that he takes briefing and debriefing before going to a state so that nothing goes wrong.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/lok-sabha-polls:-pm-modi-to-address-rally-in-chhattisgarh's-bastar-today" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/lok-sabha-polls:-pm-modi-to-address-rally-in-chhattisgarh's-bastar-today</a> "Rahul comes without that kind of briefing. And he, directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, ends up humiliating the local people and that creates a problem," he added. Giving an example, Sarma said Gandhi raised the issues of caste census and Manipur violence in Assam although 'none of these topics have any relevance here'. "Assam is a casteless society and people do not believe in casteism. If suddenly someone comes here and talks about caste census, nobody will accept that. Caste census may be relevant in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, but not in Assam," he said. "When you come to Assam and go on speaking about Manipur, people feel disconnected because Manipur and Assam are two different states," Sarma said. He said neither Manipur has any impact on Assam nor has Assam any impact on Manipur. "But many people coming to Assam started asking questions about Manipur. That means they came without briefing. Every time, Rahul comes to Assam without taking a briefing of Assam and that's the problem," Sarma said. When asked if it was the fault of Assam Congress for not briefing Gandhi properly, Sarma, who was once a member of the opposition party, chose to blame the Wayanad MP, calling him as an 'impatient' person.
"Getting an audience for the briefing is the problem. You have to give time, you have to have patience. He (Gandhi) is an impatient person. You need a lot of patience to understand the culture, anthropology and geography. So, you have to give at least two hours before you come to a state," the BJP leader said. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through Assam from January 18 to 25, during which Gandhi had locked horns with Sarma, terming him 'the most corrupt CM of India'. The eight-day journey remained very eventful witnessing high-voltage drama, accusations from both sides, clashes and multiple FIRs at different police stations. Sarma, in several election campaign meetings in the last one month, claimed that all Congress leaders, including the party's state chief Bhupen Kumar Borah will join the BJP in the coming days. Asked if he made this statement on the basis of facts or if it was just political rhetoric, the BJP leader said, "Today, if you go to the Congress headquarters or any district office, you will see empty chairs and empty rooms. Because in the last three months, most of the Congress people I know have joined the BJP. Now, there are hardly 30-40 state leaders in the Congress. I think that after Lok Sabha elections, all other leaders will join the BJP," he said. In recent times, several hundred Congress members and leaders have joined the BJP across Assam. Dissatisfaction grew after the opposition party published the names of the nominees for the general elections. Voting in 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam will take place in three phases on April 19, 26 and May 7. When asked specifically about his claim of Borah joining the ruling party early next year, Sarma said, "What I have said is that every Congressman will join the BJP in due course of time. Almost everybody, who has filed defamation cases or has spoken against us on the floor of the assembly, has joined us. I don't think Bhupen Borah will be an exception."
Taking strong objection to the statement, Borah has already filed a Rs 10-crore defamation suit against Sarma, claiming that various statements made by the BJP leader have damaged his public image and the party. The Chief Minister had also stated that some will be left in the Congress and will never join the saffron party. Regarding his statement, Sarma, without naming anyone, said, "There are two to three leaders in Assam whose fathers were former chief ministers. Also, there may be somebody who is very deeply connected (to Congress) and cannot come or we also would not want to take. Every political party has a negative list. There are 4-5 people on the list. Barring them, everybody will come." Presently, there are three Congress politicians whose fathers were former CMs of Assam. Hiteswar Saikia's son Debabrata Saikia is the leader of the opposition in the assembly, Tarun Gogoi's son Gaurav Gogoi is the deputy leader of the party in Lok Sabha and a candidate in this election from Jorhat constituency, while Bhumidhar Barman's son Diganta Barman is an MLA.
—PTI

Assam CM slams Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo impact, claiming a major shift from Congress to BJP due to misinterpretations of Assam's ethos.

Rahul irritates people, unaware of sensitivities of states: Assam CM

Jorhat (Assam): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was spotted dancing on stage during an election campaign at Titabor Bokahola Bagisa in Jorhat on Saturday. The campaign rally was in support of Topon Kumar Gogoi, the BJP candidate for the Jorhat parliamentary constituency.
Sarma enthusiastically clapped and danced to a popular Jhumur song. In this Lok Sabha election in Assam, the BJP is contesting in 11 out of 14 seats, while its ally parties, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), are contesting in two seats (Barpeta and Dhubri) and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/%22india-will-lead-way%22:-up-cm-yogi-on-uk-daily's-report-on-terrorism-in-saharanpur" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/%22india-will-lead-way%22:-up-cm-yogi-on-uk-daily's-report-on-terrorism-in-saharanpur</a>&nbsp;
Earlier on March 27, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Jorhat Parliamentary constituency (Assam) and sitting MP Topon Kumar Gogoi, accompanied by numerous supporters, filed his nomination papers at the Jorhat district commissioner office for the first phase of the parliamentary elections. The Jorhat Parliamentary Constituency (Assam) also consists of ten assembly segments. The constituencies are Jorhat, Titabar, Mariani, Majuli, Teok, Sivasagar, Nazira, Demow, Sonari and Mahmara.
There are a total of 14 parliamentary constituencies in Assam. Elections for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam will take place in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7. Meanwhile, the election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the general election. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. In the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 7 of the 14 seats in Assam. Both the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) claimed three seats each. During the 2019 elections, the BJP increased its seat count to 9, while the Congress maintained its three seats, and the AIUDF won a single seat.
—ANI

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma dances during an election campaign supporting BJP candidate Topon Kumar Gogoi in Jorhat.

Assam CM Sarma dances during election campaign in Jorhat

Guwahati: Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah has filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a local court here, claiming that various statements made by the BJP leader have damaged his public image and the party.
The case was filed by Borah in the court of civil judge (senior division) cum assistant sessions judge no 1, Kamrup Metro, on Thursday.  Besides Sarma, a leading vernacular daily of the state and its editor have been made respondents in the suit.
Borah has alleged that Sarma's statements on numerous occasions, claiming that the Congress state chief will leave the party soon, has led to a dent in his public image and also harmed the party.  The CM has been claiming that Borah will join the BJP by early next year, which has been refuted by the opposition leader.
—PTI

Assam Congress president files a defamation suit against CM for remarks allegedly damaging his reputation and the party's image.

Assam CM Himanta faces Rs 10 cr defamation suit from state Congress chief over repeated poaching claims

Guwahati: A four-year-old child died and two persons were reported missing after a boat capsized in the Brahmaputra, amid heavy rain and hailstorm in South Salmara-Mankachar district of Assam, a senior official said on Monday.
The sudden storm accompanied with hail and a downpour lashed several parts of the state on Sunday evening, uprooting trees, electric poles and damaging houses, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) CEO Gyanendra Dev Tripathi said.  "A country boat sank at 5 pm yesterday at Nepurer Alga village while travelling from Sishumara ghat to Nepurer Alga ghat. A child's body was recovered by locals and two people are missing," he told PTI.  The deceased has been identified as Samin Mondal (4), while Kobat Ali Mondal (56) and Ismail Ali (8) are missing, Tripathi said.
"An SDRF team started a search operation this morning and deep divers from Dhubri and Goalpara districts also joined them. An NDRF team is en route to the site to assist in the rescue efforts," he said.  The ASDMA is sending drones with pilots for surveillance during the operation, the CEO said.  He said there were 15 passengers in the boat, and the rest of them swam to safety with the help of locals.  Tripathi also said a number of lightning incidents have taken place in several districts, but no report of any casualty has been received so far.
—PTI

Child dies, 2 missing as boat capsizes in Brahmaputra amidst storm. SDRF, NDRF aiding rescue in Assam's South Salmara-Mankachar district.

Child dies, 2 missing as boat capsizes in Brahmaputra amid heavy rain, storm in Assam

Guwahati (Assam): All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Chief Badruddin Ajmal made it clear on Thursday that his party will not join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA alliance if they return to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls. However, the AIDUF leader asserted that they will win all three seats on which they are contesting.
"AIUDF will win all three seats. We cannot form a government with the BJP-NDA; hence, we will remain with secular parties only," he said. Disappointed by the infighting within the INDIA Bloc with regard to seat sharing, Badruddin said that if the parties remained intact, then some hope could be expected, but they are all fighting unilaterally benefitting BJP. "If the INDIA bloc had been together, then there could have been some hope but all of them are fighting separately. The Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress are two big parties that are fighting completely separately. BJP will benefit from this," he added.
He also predicted that the BJP would suffer huge losses in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. "I would not like to say anything else; they will put ED and CBI behind us, but the atmosphere is going against the BJP. People were expecting Rs 15 lakh but it did not happen. Two crore jobs were not found. The youth are unemployed. The same youth who brought the BJP to power is angry with them today. We have knowledge of the ground. The BJP will suffer huge losses in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," Ajmal said. "They are thinking of changing the Constitution for which they need 400 plus seats, their dream will never be fulfilled," he added. There are a total of 14 parliamentary constituencies in Assam. Elections for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam will take place in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7. Meanwhile, the election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the general election. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. In the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 7 of the 14 seats in Assam. Both the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) claimed three seats each. During the 2019 elections, the BJP increased its seat count to 9, while the Congress maintained its three seats, and the AIUDF won a single seat.
—ANI

AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal asserts party won't ally with BJP-NDA, predicts BJP's losses in UP and Bihar, expresses dismay over INDIA Bloc's discord.

"We cannot form government with BJP-NDA...": AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal

Guwahati: Asserting that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will not impact the indigenous people of Assam, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday said the ruling NDA will win at least 12 of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the upcoming elections.
In an interview to PTI, the Union Ports, Shipping, Waterways and Ayush Minister claimed that all sections of society, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, are happy with the NDA government as it has protected their interests over the last 10 years.  "CAA is a national law. Whatever the situation the opposition is creating with baseless provocative statements, this is not going to affect the concern of common and very knowledgeable citizens of Assam," he said.  The common people know that the law is not going to affect their interest and after the publication of the rules, they have come to the reality of the pros and cons of the act, said Sonowal, who is the BJP candidate in the Dibrugarh seat.
"We are saying that don't try to make any such statement to provoke the people with the most unreasonable figures. On earlier occasions, some leaders had made statements that millions of foreigners would come and destroy the identity of the people of Assam. No, it never happened and will never happen in the future also," he added.  Sonowal, the former CM of Assam, said that he believes the central law on citizenship is not going to affect the interest of the indigenous people here.  "All Assamese are now well-protected and well-guarded, because the BJP government in the last 10 years has given patta (land rights), land documents to those indigenous people who did not have any land holding earlier," he said.  The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 or CAA seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis who entered the country on or before December 31, 2014 from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Sonowal, a former president of the influential All Assam Students' Union (AASU), said that the scrapped Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983 (IMDT) was a more dangerous and discriminatory law "imposed" by the Congress government to favour the illegal immigrants living in the state.  "If it was not repealed by the Supreme Court, then no suspected foreigner would have been detected ever. No institution or law enforcement agency could ever question him," he said.  Asked how many people are estimated to be given citizenship under the CAA in Assam, the Union Minister said a portal has been launched and the exact figure will be visible when people start applying.  On the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Sonowal said, "We are expecting over 12 seats for the NDA. The situation that has emerged so far and from whatever the people are discussing among themselves, this figure is very much possible."  In the 14 seats, the BJP has fielded 11 candidates, its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) nominated two and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) declared one candidate.  The BJP has nine MPs from the state in the current Lok Sabha, while its allies AGP and UPPL have no representation. The Congress holds three seats and the AIUDF one, while another is an Independent candidate.
Asked how his campaigning was going in Dibrugarh, Sonowal said, "Very nice. People are very happy. All sections of people are coming forward to encourage me and my party."  At present a Rajya Sabha MP, Sonowal was an AGP MLA from 2001 to 2004. He got elected to Lok Sabha as an AGP MP in 2004 from Dibrugarh. After switching over to BJP, he won the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat in 2014.  When asked how it felt to return to his home constituency, Sonowal said, "It's a very nice feeling, because I always have received love and cordial treatment from the people here."  In the Dibrugarh seats, Sonowal has replaced Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli, a two-time MP. Asked about the denial of ticket to Teli and if there is any resentment from him, Sonowal said it was a party decision.  "He (Teli) is a senior leader of the party. He has always with dignity been rendering service to the party and the nation. He is a very honest, good and accepted leader," he said.  On opposition candidate in the seat, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, he said, "I have full respect for all the opposition candidates."  Gogoi is a candidate of the United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), formed in the state with 16 parties in line with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.), and this is his first Lok Sabha election.  Asked if he would be interested in becoming the CM of Assam again, Sonowal said: "It is for the party to decide, not the individual. It is not the willingness of a member of the party. I am a member and worker of the BJP party. It's not the question of individual interest, it's the question of the party's interest and the interest of the nation.  "Nation first, party second and self last. This is the principled line. This is the party with a value, the party with a difference. That's what we have to stand for all the time."  Sonowal headed the first-ever BJP government in Assam from 2016 and led the party to a decisive victory in the 2021 assembly polls.  Following the 2021 elections, Himanta Biswa Sarma was made the chief minister of the state. A few months later, Sonowal was sent to the Centre as a Rajya Sabha MP.
—PTI

Sarbananda Sonowal asserts CAA will not impact Assam's indigenous people, as NDA eyes major win in Lok Sabha seats with widespread societal support.

CAA won't impact indigenous people, NDA will win at least 12 seats in Assam: Union Minister Sonowal

Guwahati: Assam opposition parties Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have alleged that the state's BJP-led government has violated the election model code of conduct (MCC) by failing to remove official advertisements featuring the prime minister and chief minister.
State Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah and TMC state chief Ripun Bora have separately written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar expressing their concerns. While the Congress lodged its complaint on Sunday, the TMC sent the letter on Monday.  Bora emphasised that the presence of advertisements with the photographs of the PM, CM and others constitute a 'gross violation' of the MCC and urged the CEC to take immediate action.  "This is a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct. You are hereby requested to take appropriate action immediately," Bora wrote to the CEC.
Similarly, Bora pointed out numerous hoardings across the state featuring government advertisements with the PM and CM and requested the CEC to direct the state government to remove them promptly.  The MCC was enforced nationwide after Lok Sabha election schedule was announced on March 16.  In Assam, the elections will be held in three phases for its 14 Lok Sabha seats on April 19, 26, and May 7, with counting scheduled for June 4.
—PTI

Assam's opposition parties, Congress and TMC, report MCC violations by BJP for ads with PM, CM images before Lok Sabha elections.

Congress, TMC allege poll code violation by BJP govt in Assam

Guwahati: Congress MP Abdul Khaleque from Assam, who quit the party a day ago, on Saturday accused his former party of treating Muslims as "slaves" and attributed his resignation to personal vendetta by a senior AICC leader.
Expressing disappointment over not being nominated for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Khaleque claimed that several parties, including Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), TMC and AAP, were in touch with him, but refrained from confirming whether he will be joining any other party at the moment.  Khaleque claimed that his resignation was not due to being denied a party ticket but also because of broader grievances within the party, including a lack of representation for Muslims.
Khaleque, a two-time MLA and one-time MP, had sent his resignation from primary membership of Congress to its national president on Friday, days after the party dropped him from its list of candidates for the forthcoming elections.  In the resignation letter, he claimed that the party has taken a "strange route" in the state, and "the attitude and approach taken by the party's state president and AICC general secretary in-charge has ruined the prospects of the party in Assam".  Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Kumar Borah had rushed to the MP's Guwahati residence soon after he resigned, and both leaders later indicated that there could be reversal of Khaleque's decision to quit.  Confirming his resignation on Saturday, Khaleque said, "As I was in the party earlier, I was bound by discipline. But now I can speak freely as I have quit."  He claimed that he had informed of his grievances towards Borah and AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh to the party central leadership, and even wrote to Singh with his issues concerning the party in February but failed to get any proper response.
"Somehow, Jitendra Singh has some personal vendetta against me, I don't know the reason for it. Finally, I had to quit the party," Khaleque added.  Claiming that his resignation was not due to being denied party ticket, Khaleque maintained that more Muslim candidates should have been nominated by the party in the state.  The Congress has three MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha, out of a total of 14 seats from the state. The two other incumbents, Gaurav Gogoi and Pradyut Bordoloi, have again been given party tickets.  The minority community leader alleged that a section of arrogant leaders of the Congress view the Muslims as their slaves.  "No doubt that the Muslims love Congress as the party believes in equality. But some arrogant leaders think of Muslims as servants," he said.
Mentioning of the party's plenary session in Raipur last year, Khaleque claimed that though photographs of former top leaders were hung at the venue, there was no picture of Abul Kalam Azad.  "Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had been the party's president in the 1940s, a very crucial time. His overall contribution to the nation is also immense. When his photo was left out, it hurt many like me," he said.  In an apparent warming up towards the TMC, Khaleque praised the party and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for fighting the BJP.  He also claimed that Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was behind the fissures of the I.N.D.I. Alliance vis-a-vis TMC as the Bengal Congress president was "continuously raising voice" against Banerjee at different forums.  Khaleque also maintained that there are moles within the Assam Congress and added, "Anything that is discussed within the party gets to the chief minister within half an hour."
—PTI

Assam's Congress MP Abdul Khaleque resigns, accusing the party of treating Muslims as "slaves" and citing a vendetta by senior AICC leadership.

Some Congress leaders treat Muslims like slaves, says Assam MP after quitting party

Guwahati: All Assam Students' Union (AASU) will launch a 'satyagraha' across the state on Wednesday to protest against the implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act.
Anti-CAA protests by opposition parties, such as the Congress, and various organisations were held in the state for the last two days.  The AASU will hold a 'satyagraha' in all the district headquarters during the day, a leader of the students' organisation said.  The students' organisation had taken out a torchlight procession in several parts of the state on Tuesday evening.
 Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/anti-caa-protests-in-assam-effigies-of-pm-modi-amit-shah-burnt" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/anti-caa-protests-in-assam-effigies-of-pm-modi-amit-shah-burnt</a>&nbsp;
 An AASU delegation had gone to New Delhi on Tuesday to pursue the petition against the Act in the Supreme Court, while leader of the opposition in the Assam assembly Debabrata Saikia filed an interlocutory application in the apex court, seeking a stay on the implementation of the Act.
Several student and non-political indigenous organisations along with opposition political parties in Assam have been opposing the CAA, claiming that it violates the provision of the 1985 Assam Accord.  The accord called for 'detection and deportation' of all people who entered the state from Bangladesh post March 24, 1971.  With the CAA rules being issued, the central government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who came to India till December 31, 2014. These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.  The Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiyatabadi Parishad, the left parties and others have announced that they will continue with their protests in a peaceful and democratic manner.  Trinamool Congress' state president Ripun Bora said party workers will burn copies of the Act and rules in all the district headquarters of the state on Thursday.  A 12-hour 'Sarbatamak Hartal', called by the 16-party United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA) on Tuesday, however, did not evoke much response.
The Assam Police had issued notices to opposition parties, asking them to withdraw the hartal over the implementation of the CAA, and warned that 'legal action' would be taken against them if they fail to follow the diktat.  "Notices were served by the Assam Police to ensure that there is no damage to public property and risk to life of the people through any forceful agitation in the state," Director General of Police G P Singh had said.  Meanwhile, security has been tightened across the state with additional deployment of police personnel, including commandos in sensitive areas, while all police stations are on an alert, a senior officer said.  Patrolling has been intensified and check-posts have been set up on the major thoroughfares in almost all cities and towns of the state, where widespread anti-CAA protests were held in 2019.
—PTI

AASU launches statewide protests against CAA in Assam, uniting political parties and organizations in peaceful opposition.

Assam students' organisation to hold 'satyagraha' against CAA today

Guwahati: Protests against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) erupted across Assam on Tuesday with effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and copies of the law being burnt.
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) burnt the effigies of the prime minister and the home minister in Lakhimpur, while the Congress also torched copies of the law in different parts of the district to protest against the implementation of the CAA.  Congress workers led by Leader of the Opposition in Assam assembly Debabrata Saikia staged a protest in front of its state headquarters Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati and burnt copies of the Act.  The CPI(M) also held a demonstration against the implementation of the Act here and in Kamrup's Rangia town, while students of different colleges organised protests outside their respective institutions in the city.  In Sivasagar district, activists of Raijor Dal, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and the Chatra Mukti Parishad and MLA Akhil Gogoi protested against the contentious law and raised slogans against the Centre.
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 Burning of copies of the CAA by the Congress and by the AJYCP has also been reported from Barpeta and Nalbari respectively.  The 12-hour 'Sarbatamak Hartal', called by the 16-party United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), did not evoke much response.
Shops and business establishments remained closed in a few districts such as Sivasagar, Golaghat, Nagaon and Kamrup.  The Assam Police have issued notices to opposition parties, asking them to withdraw the hartal over the implementation of the CAA, and warned that 'legal action' will be taken against them if they fail to follow the diktat, officials said on Tuesday.  "Notices were served by the Assam Police to ensure that there is no damage to public property and risk to life of the people through any forceful agitation in the state," Director General of Police G P Singh said.  Criticising the notices issued by the Assam Police, Congress leader Debabrata Saikia said it was "shameful that the state police department was acting at the behest of the BJP government".  "We will continue to protest against the implementation of the Act peacefully and democratically," he said.  In Sonitpur, the district administration has imposed Section 144 of CrPC and prohibited holding of meetings, demonstrations, processions and sloganeering in public places to prevent any untoward incident.  Security has been tightened across the state with additional deployment of police personnel, including commandos, in sensitive areas, while all police stations in the state have been put on an alert.  Patrolling has been intensified and check-posts have been set up on arterial roads in almost all the cities and towns of the state, where protests were held over the issue in 2019.  All Assam Students' Union and 30 non-political indigenous organisations will also take out torchlight processions in the evening and launch a satyagraha from Wednesday.  An AASU delegation left for New Delhi on Tuesday to pursue the petition against the Act in the Supreme Court and the leaders will return for the procession in the evening, the student organisation's general secretary Sankar Jyoti Baruah said.
—PTI

Protests flare up in Assam against the CAA, with effigies of Modi and Shah burnt. Amidst hartals and police warnings, Assam's opposition stands firm against the controversial law.

Anti-CAA protests in Assam; effigies of PM Modi, Amit Shah burnt

Guwahati: The Assam Police have issued notices to opposition parties 'ordering' them to 'withdraw' the hartal over the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA and warned that 'legal action' will be taken against them if they fail to follow the diktat, officials said on Tuesday.
The 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) has called a statewide hartal to protest against the implementation of the CAA.  "It has come to the notice of the undersigned from the Press Note dated 11th March, 2024 released by 'United Opposition Forum' that you and your organization have called for 'Sarbatmak Hartal' in Assam on 12th March, 2024 from 6 am to 6 pm. Whereas, as a result of the 'Sarbatmak Hartal', there is every likelihood of breach of peace and security leading to disruption of normal life of peace loving citizens in the state," said the identical legal notices, dated March 11, sent to the office-bearers of different parties.  "Further, calling of such 'Sarbatmak Hartal' will lead to Highway and Railway Track Blockade, which has been declared as illegal and unconstitutional by various judgements of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, Hon'ble Kerala High Court as well as Hon'ble Gauhati High Court," it added.  The notices 'ordered' the parties to withdraw the hartal and co-operate in maintaining peace in the state.
"...failing which legal action will be taken against you in your personal capacity. Further, be known that in case there is any damage to public/private property including Railway and National Highway properties or injury to any citizen caused due to 'Sarbatmak Hartal', legal action under appropriate provisions of law... will be initiated against you and the total cost of damage to public and private properties will be recovered from you and your Organization," it said.  The notices were shared by Director-General of Police GP Singh on social media.  In a post on X, he said that the notices were served by the police to ensure there is no damage to public property and risk to the lives of the people by any agitation in the state.
<a href="https://twitter.com/DGPAssamPolice/status/1767393545567043648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1767393545567043648%7Ctwgr%5E14acf3e8fbc1780038e080583a26caad2db0ea14%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Findia%2Fassam%2Fassam-police-order-opposition-parties-to-withdraw-stir-against-caa-warn-of-action-2932570" target="_self">https://twitter.com/DGPAssamPolice/status/1767393545567043648?</a>
Meanwhile, no untoward incident has been reported in the state so far, police said.  Security has been tightened with additional deployment of police personnel. All police stations have been put on alert, patrolling has been intensified and check-posts have been set up on major thoroughfares in most towns of the state, including Guwahati which witnessed violent protests over the issue in December 2019, they said.
—PTI

Assam Police warns opposition of legal action if hartal against CAA proceeds, urging withdrawal to maintain state peace and property safety.

Assam Police 'order' opposition parties to withdraw stir against CAA, warn of action

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday claimed that there was no relevance of any protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act at this point and said that all those opposed to the law may approach the Supreme Court for revoking it.
Addressing a press conference here, Sarma said Parliament, which had passed the law, is "not supreme" as the apex court is above it and can terminate any legislation enacted like what it did to the electoral bonds.  "There is no relevance of protest against CAA as agitation cannot do anything regarding the fate of an Act passed by Parliament. That can only change in the Supreme Court like it abolished the electoral bonds introduced by the BJP," he added.  Sarma stressed that the judiciary has the power to alter an Act and moreover, Parliament has also ended sine die and nobody can call a sitting of the two houses to undo the CAA in the next four months.  "CAA is a reality and it is in the law book of India, it has been a part of the statute book of India for the last two years. Those who hate the CAA wholeheartedly will also have to approach the SC. Those who want to make a political career out of CAA can do agitation. There is a difference between the two," he added.  The chief minister said one may not like the CAA but he respects that feeling and the same should happen from the opposite side (those supporting CAA) too.  "I don't want to criticise any side as it's their right to like or dislike the CAA. But the resolution of both sides must take place at the Supreme Court, not on the streets of Assam. CAA was passed democratically in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Now what will you do about this? You can't do anything about it (by protesting)," he added.
Sarma questioned the motives behind the protests and "dragging Assam backwards to a certain level" as people will continue to contest for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.  "Assamese people had protested against the Bill, but still it was passed. However, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are not the supreme bodies, and the Supreme Court is above them," he stressed.  Asked if the renewed protests against the contentious law will affect the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the chief minister refused to comment, but said, "I genuinely feel that all those against CAA and those in favour of it should go to the SC."  The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis entering India on or before December 31, 2014 from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after five years of residence here.  The opposition parties in Assam on Thursday submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu and said that they will undertake a "democratic mass movement" across the state if the CAA is not repealed.  The United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), formed in the state in line with the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), on Wednesday announced that a state-wide bandh will be called the very next day of the contentious Act coming into force, followed by 'gherao' of the Janata Bhawan (the secretariat) on the subsequent day.  The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) along with 30 other organisations also announced a series of agitational programmes from March 4 across the state against the law.  Massive peaceful agitations took place for a few months across all the districts in Brahmaputra Valley after Assam witnessed one of the most violent public protests in its history for several days since December 9, 2019.  After the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on December 11, 2019, the state erupted in uncontrolled protests, in which agitators engaged in pitch battles with security forces in almost every major city or town, forcing the administration to impose curfew in several towns and cities.  During violent protests, three rail stations, post office, bank, bus terminus, shops, dozens of vehicles and many other public properties were set ablaze or totally damaged in different parts of the state.
—PTI

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma claims protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act are futile, advising legal action in the Supreme Court for those opposed.

Go to Supreme Court, no point protesting against CAA, Assam CM Himanta tells agitators

Guwahati: Assam's electorate has risen to 2.43 crore which is a jump of 11 per cent from 2.18 crore in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As per the latest electoral roll published by the Election Commission of India, the total state's electorate is 2,43,01,960 including 1,21,79,358 male voters and 1,21,22,602 female voters. In 2019, the state's total electorate was 2,18,05,524. After the delimitation, the ECI published the parliamentary and assembly constituency-wise electoral roll for Assam. Delimitation is the exercise of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each state for the Lok Sabha and Legislative assemblies. In Dhubri parliamentary constituency, the total electorate is 26,43,403. According to the ECI's final publication of the electoral roll, there is 14,70,271 voters in Kokrajhar (ST) parliamentary constituency, 19,49,873 voters in Barpeta parliamentary constituency, 21,87,160 voters in Darrang-Udalguri parliamentary constituency, 20,13,145 voters in Guwahati, 8,92,789 voters in Diphu (ST), 13,95,096 voters in Karimganj, 13,51,496 voters in Silchar (SC), 18,04,472 voters in Nagaon, 20,33,572 voters in Kaziranga, 16,25,364 voters in Sonitpur, 15,66,241 voters in Lakhimpur, 16,50,706 voters in Dibrugarh and 17,18,372 voters in Jorhat parliamentary constituency.&nbsp;
—ANI

Assam's electorate sees an 11% surge to 2.43 crore, reveals latest data by the Election Commission. Delve into the electoral dynamics.

Assam's electorate rises to 2.43 cr from 2.18 cr in 2019

Guwahati: Union Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Assam on February 29, where he will address a mega rally in the Barpeta Lok Sabha Constituency, according to a BJP official. Assam State Bharatiya Janata Party President Bhabesh Kalita told ANI on Tuesday that preparations are on to welcome the BJP leader and Union minister at the end of this month. "We are preparing for his visit. The Union Defence Minister will address a mega rally in the Barpeta Parliamentary constituency. A party karyakartas sanmilan of Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency will be held on February 29 and a Lok Sabha Prabandhan Committee meeting will also be held on the same day," Kalita said. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to visit the state again but his schedule has not been finalised yet. "The Prime Minister may visit Assam again before the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll dates," Kalita said. The state BJP president also said other senior leaders, including Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari will also visit different clusters of the state in the coming days. "We have made five different clusters by taking all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. First, the union ministers will visit three clusters. BJP's national conference will be held on February 17-18 in New Delhi. More than 300 karyakartas, including ministers, MPs, MLAs, and the state BJP's leaders, will attend the meeting," Kalita said. Talking about the Assam BJP's preparation for the upcoming general elections, Kalita said, "We are fully gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and we have made election management committees by deputating Prabhari, Coordinator, in each Lok Sabha constituency and each assembly constituency. We are fully prepared for the upcoming election from booth level to state level." "As of now, we have more than 48 lakh karyakartas in Assam. More than 7,000 Congressmen will join the BJP in Majuli. On February 15, many people will join the BJP. There is no opposition in Assam. This month, the Prime Minister visited Assam, laid the foundation stone, and inaugurated several projects worth Rs 11,600 crore. BJP-led NDA will win more than 400 seats this time," the Assam BJP chief said.&nbsp;&nbsp;
—ANI

Union Minister Rajnath Singh is set to address a mega rally in Barpeta, Assam, as part of BJP's preparations for the upcoming elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Assam is also anticipated, amid BJP's strategies for victory.

Rajnath Singh to address mega rally in Assam's Barpeta

Morigaon: The Morigaon district administration has imposed several restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of high school and higher secondary examinations in the district. According to the ban issued by Additional District Magistrate Dyotiva Bora, the use of speakers, loudspeakers and microphones has been prohibited without permission and will remain banned at night and during duration of the examinations. Additionally, no person shall assemble unauthorisedly or crowd within a radius of 100 metres of the examination centre, the directive read. Candidates are also barred from carrying any suspicious items, mobile phones or electronic devices inside the examination centre. The official statement issued on Sunday said, "In view of the ensuing HS/HSLC examination 2024, it appears that there is the likelihood of disturbance of peaceful environment of the students causing noise pollution as a result of indiscriminate use of loudspeaker and microphones in different programmes and occasions throughout the district." "There is every likelihood of disturbance of peace and tranquillity, malafide intention to indulgence in unfair means in and around the examination centres in the district. There is further apprehension of a breach of public peace and tranquillity with stray incidents during the examination and unlawful activities in and around the examination centres. Dyotiva Bora, Additional District Magistrate, Morigaon said she was promulgating the order in exercise of powers conferred upon her under Section 144 Crpc throughout Morigaon district until further orders. The order prohibits the the use of a loudspeaker, or microphone without permission, the use of a loudspeaker, or microphone at night and during examinations, assembly of unauthorized persons or unnecessary crowding around examination centres within 100 meters of the centre premises and carrying of unauthorized and suspected objects like mobile phones, electronic devices by the examinees to the examination hall. "Considering the gravity of the situation this order has been passed ex-parte and will be enforceable with immediate effect and will remain in operation till completion of the examination process," it said.
—ANI

Morigaon district imposes Section 144 restrictions to ensure peaceful high school and higher secondary exams. Ban on loudspeakers, assemblies near exam centers, and carrying electronic devices.

Assam: Morigaon administration imposes restrictions to ensure smooth, peaceful conduct of higher secondary exams

Biswanath: A massive fire broke out in the Monabari area of Assam's Biswanath district on Monday, officials said. The fire erupted at a market complex in the Monabari area of Biswanath district, confirmed a source. There were no reports of any casualties in the fire incident, said the local police. Several shops and business establishments were reportedly damaged in the blaze. A senior police official in Biswanath district said that fire tenders rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control. More details are awaited.&nbsp;
—ANI

A massive fire erupts in Biswanath's Monabari area, damaging several shops. Firefighters manage to bring the blaze under control. No casualties reported. Stay tuned for updates

Assam: Massive fire breaks out at market complex in Monabari

A massive fire erupts in Biswanath's Monabari area, damaging several shops. Firefighters manage to bring the blaze under control. No casualties reported. Stay tuned for updates.

Guwahati: Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Saturday said the State cabinet meeting today will hold discussions on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Speaking to ANI, the State Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister said, "The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is also needed for Assam. The state cabinet meeting will be held today, and a discussion on the UCC will take place in the cabinet meeting."Recently, the Uttarakhand State Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill 2024. "I hope that the UCC Bill is implemented in Assam. UCC could be implemented in Assam, but there will be some exemptions for the tribal people," Baruah said. Talking about the third term of the Modi government, the Assam Minister said, "It is necessary to take many more decisions for the future of the country. The Modi government will make many more big decisions after coming into power for the third consecutive term and will make Bharat a "Viswa Guru."
The Assam Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister launched the Water and Sanitation Message Handbook for students on Saturday during a programme held in Guwahati on Saturday. The Assam Minister said that both the Education Department and the Public Health Engineering Department have jointly worked on this for the school students.  A Uniform Civil Code (UCC) means that all sections of society, irrespective of their religion, shall be treated equally according to a national civil code, which shall apply to all uniformly. They cover areas such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, adoption, and succession of the property. On Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a preparatory meeting ahead of the presentation of the state budget for this fiscal. Finance Minister Neog is set to present the state budget for fiscal 2024-25 in the Assembly on February 12.
—ANI

Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah discusses the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. Updates on the state budget presentation.

Assam Cabinet to hold discussions on Uniform Civil Code Bill today

Guwahati: Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), S Krishnan, inaugurated the 'groundbreaking' SWASTHA project and the state-of-the-art ISO 5 and 6 clean room facilities at the Centre for Nanotechnology, IIT Guwahati, on Friday. Smart Wearable Advanced NanoSensing Technologies in Healthcare ASICs (SWASTHA) aims to revolutionise healthcare through advanced nanoelectronic theranostic devices. The project aims to deliver high-quality products and prototypes in micro/nanoelectronics and nanomaterials, with a focus on healthcare and energy applications. It emphasises innovation, scientific collaboration, and technological progress, IIT Guwahati said in a press release.
Speaking during the event, Krishnan said, "The successful establishment of the clean room facilities and the implementation of the SWASTHA Centre for Excellence is an epoch-making event in the North-Eastern region because the young human resources can now utilise these world-class high-end facilities available at their doorstep to pursue their lofty scientific and technological dreams."
The ISO 5 and 6 clean room facilities are the first of their kind in the north-eastern region of India. They are dedicated to promoting awareness and training in micro/nano electronic fabrication, facilitating industrial research and development, and supporting the Indian Nanoelectronics Users Programme (INUP), the release said. "In short, this has been a phenomenal start to this pioneering centre in North-East India, which has set a new benchmark for all such activities to follow not only in this region but also in the country," Krishnan added.  The project and facilities are geared towards high technology readiness level (TRL), deep-tech invention and innovation, start-up support, entrepreneurship development, long-term sustainability, capacity building, revenue generation, and collaboration with experts in India and abroad for both academia and industry professionals, it added. He expressed appreciation for IIT Guwahati's ongoing efforts in supporting the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives of the Government of India by developing a robust ecosystem for multidisciplinary research, development and commercialization.
—ANI

Explore the inauguration of SWASTHA project & clean room facilities at IIT Guwahati, revolutionizing healthcare & promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Guwahati: IT and electronics Secy inaugurates SWASTHA project at IIT Centre for Nanotechnology

Kaziranga: The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam has witnessed all-time high tourist footfall this season, officials said. According to the park authorities, nearly 1.80 lakh visitors including both foreign and domestic have already visited the national park so far and the estimated revenue earned is around Rs 4.58 crore.Sonali Ghosh, Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve said that new tourism areas like Biswanath and Bura Chapori have now been added to the national park. "The park was opened on October 15 last year for the 2023-24 tourist season and in the month of October last year 17662 tourists visited the park, 40242 tourists visited in the month of November, 65000 tourists visited in December and in January this year 52000 tourists visited the park. We have earned Rs 1.45 crore as revenue in December last year and earned Rs 1.21 crore in January this year. Almost 1.80 lakh tourists have already visited the park this season so far," Sonali Ghosh said. She further said that, this time river tourism has become more popular and the park has earned a good amount of revenue from it.Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, nestled in the heart of Assam, continues to captivate travellers and wildlife enthusiasts, and it experiences a significant upsurge in tourism, particularly during the holidays. Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity, and iconic inhabitants like the one-horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga has emerged as a top-choice destination for families and wildlife aficionados. The park authority said that starting in February, Kaziranga will introduce tea tourism, offering visitors a unique opportunity to explore the region's tea culture and this new initiative aims to showcase the beauty of Kaziranga while providing an immersive experience in the art of tea production. Kaziranga is experiencing a remarkable boost in tourism, thanks to the recent success of innovative initiatives like Kazir Ronghangpi Tales, Cycling in Kohora, Panpur Jeep Safari &amp; Boat Safari in Biswanath Wildlife Division. These initiatives, aimed at promoting local culture and heritage, have captured the hearts of both residents and visitors alike, turning Kaziranga into a must-visit destination. According to the park authority, the tourist flow was affected during the last two pandemic years. In the tourist year 2021-22, 2,55,676 visitors visited the park and the estimated revenue generated was around Rs 5,49,78,055, in the tourist year 2022-23, 3,26,924 visitors visited the park and the estimated revenue generated was around Rs 7,76,07,566. In the present tourist year 2023-24, the Central and Western Range were opened for tourists in the mid-October and the other two ranges were opened in late November. Around 1,79,573 visitors have already visited the park till date and the estimated revenue earned is around Rs. 4,58,77,639. Local businesses have also benefited from the increased tourist influx, with hotels, restaurants, and shops reporting a surge in activity. The success of these events has created new opportunities for collaboration between the public and private sectors, further contributing to the overall economic growth of the area.
—ANI

Kaziranga National Park in Assam experiences a surge in tourism, generating significant revenue, with new initiatives like tea tourism. 

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