Meghalaya witnessed several protests on Thursday against the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, while chief minister Conrad K. Sangma was greeted with slogans and black flags in East Garo Hills condemning him and his sister MP Agatha K. Sangma.

On Thursday morning, several members of the Meghalaya Mahila Congress along with legislators took out a procession from Madan Iewrynghep to the parking lot near the additional secretariat building.

Along the route, the protesters shouted slogans condemning the passage of the bill and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, Conrad and Agatha.

The protesters were also joined by members of the Garo Students’ Union (GSU).

Speaking at the gathering, senior Congress legislator M. Ampareen Lyngdoh appealed to the people, political parties and civil society groups to “unite” in the fight against the bill. “We demand that this bill, which was passed, should be scrapped,” she said.

Amidst the demand for the implementation of the inner-line-permit in Meghalaya, she said the system was not enough to safeguard the people.

In the evening, a group of youths took out a procession towards Motphran from Madan Iewrynghep to protest against the bill. Police at Motphran fired around three to four rounds of tear gas after the crowd who gathered reportedly turned restive.

In Tura, members of the Youth Congress gheraoed the office of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and burnt effigies of Conrad and Agatha.

The chief minister, who landed in Williamnagar to attend a programme to commemorate the death anniversary of Pa Togan N. Sangma, was greeted with slogans condemning him and Agatha.

Protesters waved black flags and vented their anger as they felt “betrayed” with the NPP supporting the bill in the Lok Sabha. They also burnt tyres on the road.

Conrad went to Chisobibra near Williamnagar to attend the programme, and also took the opportunity to “clarify” on the bill.