It was an eerie experience moving around Guwahati for the last two days covering protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. The streets were literally on fire. Shops were closed. Most of the people were heading to the protest grounds — Latasil on Thursday and Chandmari on Friday.
I had never, in my entire life, experienced such a feeling. Everywhere there were groups of protesters, some peaceful, others aggressive.
Having heard that protesters were gathering at Latasil in defiance of curfew, I moved towards the venue. The atmosphere was charged. There was no public transport available and torching of a few vehicles on Wednesday evening had made me leave my own behind. As soon as I reached the RBI Point, I saw students barricading the road with branches and other objects. A two-wheeler was forced to turn back.
The city resembled a battle zone, with streets scarred by burnt tyres, railings torn and twisted and signposts uprooted. The curfew had forced people to remain indoors and the announcement by police cars only added to the paranoia.
Around noon, groups of people shouting slogans like ‘We don’t want CAB, BJP go back, Joi Aai Axom (glory to our motherland), Aah oi aah ulai aah (come out, one and all)’ started pouring into the area. Soon, thousands gathered there in a spontaneous gesture. The curfew seemed non-existent. The speeches by AASU leaders and celebrities, imploring a restrained but continued movement, seemed to have worked their magic. By evening, the feeling was cruelly crushed as reports of police firing and death of three young protesters spread.
The walk back home was nerve-wracking. The streets were dark and deserted, except for police personnel at major points. I felt blessed on reaching home safely.
Friday was a little better as people thronged the open shops to stock up on groceries and other essentials, despite the curfew. Shops ran out of stock and overcharged the buyers. Everyone seemed apprehensive and groups of people gathered to discuss the latest news and rumours. A few vehicles ventured out but it was better to walk or hire a rickshaw. Staying safe is the best policy, I thought, as I made my way to Chandmari.
AASU leaders gathered at the AEI field for a hunger strike. Fiery speeches blaming the state government for the situation and impassioned calls for a peaceful but continuous protest were made by student leaders, prominent citizens and celebrities. AASU has called for suspension of evening protests for a week, in a bid to thwart trouble-makers. I walked back home through dark, deserted streets with a prayer on my lips for the second day running.