Apart from keeping the state on the boil, the Citizenship(Amendment) Bill, 2016 has started dividing BJP, the ruling party even after the exit of its coalition partner. Nearly a dozen of party MLAs is believed to have been preparing to stand united against the Bill if the party leadership fails to read the writings on the wall. Talking to www.assamtimes.org, a senior party leader in Delhi said only a handful of party MLAs along with the ministers are unlikely to maintain studied silence. Nearly 25 MLAs are likely to come up openly against the Bill to put the government in a fix. “The number of aggrieved BJP legislators is increasing on every passing day. These legislators, mostly, are weighing option. They would need a couple of days to strategize the curse of action once they quit the party or speak up openly against the controversial Bill,” he said.
One after another ruling party leaders and legislators have spoken up against the Bill that promises Indian citizenship to the non Muslim neighbors ; Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
BJP MLA Rhituparna Baruah has openly spoken up against the Bill saying that the spirit of the Assam Accord, 1985 should be retained untouched which is not possible if the Bill in question is passed in Parliament. “We did Assam agitation for 6 years from 1979 till the signing of the Accord to detect and deport the immigrants. How we should allow the immigrants to get citizenship? This Bill should not be approved,” said Baruah.
Baruah, who is known for his close association with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal further said,” I think the sedition charge against Dr Hiren Gohain is a deliberate attempt to defame the chief minister Sonowal. This should not happen.”
Hours before him, Sootea MLA Padma Hazarika who migrated from AGP 3 years back said at a meeting that he would be with the Assam Accord, 1985 and that anything contradictory to the historic document should be brushed aside. “I was one of the agitator. I know. I am stick to the Assam Accord only. I am very plain and simple,” said Hazarika. Last week assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami also opposed the Bill and said it was a hasty decision which might be quite contrary to what the people want. The first one BJP MLA to oppose it was Atul Bora, who has been dead opposed to the idea since inception.
Party spokesman Mehdi Alam Bora and already resigned from the party before CK Das, a retired bureaucrat put in his papers as secretary.
The Rongmei community of Guwahati came together to celebrate its 7th Charuangc Khatni Zawthanh Kariumei 2025 (Cultural and Freshers’ Meet) under the theme “Reaffirming Identity, Shaping Futures” at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre Auditorium on Thursday.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from Rongmei residents and freshers from across the city. The celebration was graced by Chief Guest Chaitali Panmei, IRS (Retd.), former Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North Eastern Region, and Guest of Honour Rev. T.P. Mordecai, Associate Secretary, EFI North East. Both dignitaries inspired the gathering with their reflections on the importance of cultural identity and...
A devastating accident at the Ennore Thermal Power construction site in Tamil Nadu claimed the lives of nine workers from Assam and nearby regions on Tuesday, after a steel arch collapsed.
TANGEDCO Chairman Dr. J. Radhakrishnan confirmed that one worker was critically injured, while over 10 others sustained serious injuries and were admitted to Stanley Government Hospital in North Chennai. BHEL officials have reached the site as rescue operations continue. Police said the exact cause of the collapse is under investigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, six workers died and six others were injured when the roof of a private steel plant collapsed in the...
A standoff between taxi unions from Assam and Meghalaya has disrupted travel for hundreds of tourists at the Jorabat border near Guwahati. The confrontation began when the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) initiated a blockade, preventing Assam-registered taxis from entering Meghalaya. The AKMTTA cited concerns over the livelihoods of local drivers, alleging that the influx of Assam-based taxis was adversely affecting their business.
In retaliation, Assam's Motor Parivan Sewakarmi Sanmilita Mancha organized a strike, halting vehicles from Meghalaya at key transit points, including Guwahati Railway Station, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, and the...
The Assam Royal Global University (RGU) successfully hosted a two-day national conference on September 15–16 titled “Resilient Futures: Indian Knowledge Systems for Energy, Sustainability, and Climate Action.” In a significant step towards promoting regional languages in higher education, the entire event was conducted in Assamese.
The conference was inaugurated with a ceremonial lamp-lighting, where Chief Guest Dr. Hirak Ranjan Das, Innovation Manager, AICTE (NER), emphasized the relevance of indigenous knowledge in shaping sustainable futures. Coordinator Dr. Saswati Bordoloi noted that AICTE-VAANI seeks to revive Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) while giving voice to diverse...
DIMAPUR, September 13: Zigzak Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a rising technology start-up founded by filmmaker and tech enthusiast Mr. Lorence Kachari, is preparing to launch its flagship lifestyle application, Zigzak, next week. The company has described the initiative as a step towards transforming digital convenience in Nagaland, the North East and beyond.
The application is designed to function as an all-in-one service platform, bringing together facilities such as food delivery, grocery shopping, rides, medicines, parcel services and home services on a single interface.
The development of the app has been undertaken by a team of fifteen engineers and developers based in Hyderabad, under...
Indigenous leaders of Assam have strongly condemned what they described as "barbaric atrocities" by Assam Police on members of the Koch-Rajbanshi community at Golokganj in Dhubri district on September 10. They demanded an impartial judicial inquiry and strict action against the culprits, urging the state to ensure that such incidents are not repeated when communities raise their democratic rights.
At the same press conference, the leaders also expressed outrage over the detention of Bhanu Tatak — a young activist and legal advisor of the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum — at Delhi’s international airport on September 7. Tatak, who had been invited to Dublin City University in Ireland for...
Mumbai: The never-say-die soul of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika enjoyed yet another acme of glory when millions of people across the globe remembered him on his birth centenary on 8th September. From Assam and Kolkata to the capital Delhi, from India’s downtown Mumbai to Bengaluru, the Bard of Brahmaputra came alive with his songs and rhymes.
On 8th September, renowned music therapist and performer Anubhuti Goswami, along with her husband and multi-instrumentalist Emon Goswami, presented a soulful tribute to the legend Dr. Bhupen Hazarika as part of the birth centenary celebrations in Kolkata.
The duo performed at the Assam Bhawan, organized by the Kolkata Assamese Cultural Association,...
Clashes broke out in Churachandpur district on Thursday evening, barely two days before the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Manipur, throwing the administration into a state of heightened alert. The incident occurred near Peasonmun village, situated about five kilometres from the Churachandpur police station, when a group of unidentified persons allegedly attempted to damage decorations and arrangements being put up for the Prime Minister’s public engagement.
Police personnel who rushed to the spot were confronted by the miscreants, following which a scuffle ensued. Reports indicate that several properties suffered damage during the course of the incident. While...
A heartfelt felicitation ceremony was held in Lumding to honor Naga woman Mrs. T. Machapakla Ao, the visionary founder of the Assamese medium school in the town. The event, organized by the fortnightly publication Matir Manuh, celebrated her pivotal role in establishing the school in 1956—a milestone in Lumding’s educational history.
Prominent speakers at the event included Rajkumar Baishya (Chief Editor, Matir Manuh), Deepak Mena (Executive President), Minati Sharma (Director Member), Prashant Hatimota (General Secretary), Sujata Sharma (Social Media Secretary), Anup Arandhara (Secretary, Mung-Dun-Chung Kham, Assam, NE India), Dr. T. Lima Jamir (President, Nagaland Indigenous People’s...
In recent years, Assam has witnessed a series of eviction drives that have displaced thousands, predominantly targeting Muslims of East Bengali origin. These individuals, often referred to as 'Miyas', have faced allegations of being 'illegal immigrants' despite possessing valid Indian documentation. The state's actions have raised concerns about the underlying motives and the implications for democracy and human rights.
Political Motive Behind Evictions
Experts argue that these eviction drives are strategically timed ahead of elections to create a divisive narrative. The ruling BJP is accused of attempting to foster a Hindu-Muslim divide, with some local organizations already holding...
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