Anti-CAB protests: Assam CM appeals people to maintain peace, not get 'misled'

Amid protests in Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday appealed the people of the state to maintain peace.

Speaking to , Sonowal also urged the people to not get "misled" on the Bill.

He said that the CAB is a national-level bill and the people of Assam don't need to be afraid of it.

"I appeal to the people to maintain peace and not get misled", the chief minister said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an assurance to the people of Assam that no one can take away their rights, unique identity and beautiful culture, amid protests in parts of the state against the CAB.

Assam's largest city Guwahati and district Dibrugarh have been placed under indefinite curfew till further orders in the wake of protests after the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The administration has also suspended mobile Internet services for 24 hours from 7 pm on Wednesday in ten districts of the state-Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Kamrup (metro) and Kamrup.

According to Indian Army officials, five Army Columns have been requisitioned and deployed in Assam while three Assam Rifles columns requisitioned and deployed in Tripura.

The CAB smoothly sailed through Parliament after the Rajya Sabha passed it on Wednesday. As many as 125 members of the Upper House voted in favour while 105 MPs voted against the Bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha earlier this week.

The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghstan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

( With inputs from ANI )