Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) continued in Upper Assam on the first day of the New Year with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), along with other organisations, holding hunger strikes in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

In Duliajan in Dibrugarh district, AASU, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Sadou Asom Muttock Yuba Chatra Sanmilan and others staged an 11-hour mass fasting from 6am. They demanded scrapping of the Act and chanted slogans against the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state.

AASU’s central committee cultural secretary Anil Gogoi said the government, instead of wishing people on the first day of the New Year, was compelling them to fast. He alleged that the state government had made provocative statements, plays divisive politics but they would protest peacefully and democratically. He hoped Delhi and Dispur would scrap the law, failing which the people would protest till Assam is exempted from the Act. He said this Magh Bihu, the people of Assam would burn copies of CAA in the meji fire.

Echoing Anil, AJYCP’s Dibrugarh publicity secretary Pranjal Rajkonwar said the BJP government has gifted people with CAA and street protests in the New Year but they would never accept it.

Brihottar Asomiya Mahila Manch president Minakshi Gogoi alleged that the BJP government had insulted the people and demanded immediate withdrawal of the Act.

About 6km from Duliajan, at Bhadoi Panchali, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, All Tai Ahom Students’ Union and Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad staged an eight-hour hunger strike against CAA and demanded the immediate release of KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi.

At Doomdooma in Tinsukia district, the AASU and 30 other organisations staged a five-hour peaceful sit-in. Hundreds of people from all walks of life participated in it.

The town, which has remained almost closed from the second week of December because of anti-CAA protests, bandh and curfew, saw most shops downing shutters on Wednesday as well. Some small vendors, however, kept their shops open.

A businessman said supply of goods had been disturbed, leading to high prices. “But if we sell at a high price, relationship with customers is affected. So many traders have closed shops, waiting for normalcy to return, or open it during rush hours only. Besides, traders are also taking part in protests. The CAA will harm each and every Assamese.”

The Congress’s Doomdooma MLA Durga Bhumij said, “Black day has come in Assam because of CAA. Industry, trade and commerce, especially small-scale industries and businesses, have been badly affected. There is an economic slowdown in the state and the country. Narendra Modi knows about Hindutva but has no knowledge of economics. If the situation doesn’t improve, the future will be in jeopardy.”

District-level AASU leader Rana Sonar said, “The statewide anti-CAA movement will continue till the law is scrapped. We will protest till 2021 and chase out the BJP government from here.”

In the evening, people lit diyas (lamps) before their houses to pay tribute to CAA movement “martyrs”.