The statewide bandh called by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and other organisations on Tuesday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, had no effect on Barak Valley, barring a rail and road blockade at two places in Hailakandi district by bandh supporters.
Fewer vehicles plied in the three Barak Valley districts of Hailakandi, Cachar and Karimganj, which have a sizeable Bengali-speaking population. Assam has 33 districts.
The AIUDF and the Congress had supported the bandh.
KMSS activists had blocked the Mizoram-Assam passenger train at Mahammedpur in Hailakandi district and the Assam-Mizoram inter-state National Highway 154 before police intervened and cleared the tracks and the highway. The police said 13 KMSS activists were arrested.
Hailakandi district president of AASU, Amjad Hussain Laskar, said they opposed the bill because the central committee had opposed it and demanded the cut-off date to be midnight of March 24, 1971, as per clauses of the Assam Accord.
The bill aims at granting citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who have fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.
Theatre personality Sekhar Debroy of Sammilito Sanskritik Mancha said he supported the bill but did not comment when asked about the future of the state if illegal Bangladeshis are given citizenship through the bill.
Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sanmilan central committee president Saurindra Bhattacharjee said the sanmilan wants the bill to be passed to safeguard Hindu migrants.
The Hailakandi administration claimed life was totally normal and the administration also went ahead with the public grievances redressal day that witnessed a good turnout. District development commissioner F.R. Laskar conducted the day with the help from senior officials of the administration and district heads.