Students of colleges and universities across Assam on Wednesday staged demonstrations, held hunger strikes and burnt copies of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

“Just because the BJP has numbers in Parliament, they cannot impose anything on us. The Supreme Court must respect the interests of Assam and the Assam Accord,” Rahul Chetry, general secretary of Dibrugarh University Students’ Union, said.

“How can Union home minister Amit Shah say that the CAA will not be repealed since the matter is in the Supreme Court?” he asked.

“I have come to proclaim this today from Lucknow’s soil that whoever wants to oppose can oppose it, the Citizenship Amendment Bill is not going to be taken back,” Shah said on Tuesday.

“We have full faith in the Supreme Court and hope it will give a verdict in favour of Assam. The apex court is yet to give any verdict on the constitutional validity of the CAA so why is Shah making such comments? This is a political conspiracy,” Chetry said.

At least 100 Cotton University students staged a seven-hour hunger strike on Wednesday.

The Gauhati University students, too, staged a protest at the institute’s main entrance, burnt the Act’s copies and raised slogans against the BJP. The students said they would not accept the CAA at any cost.

Dibrugarh University students hoisted black flags.

“Since today the Supreme Court is hearing the CAA, all students in the Northeast have boycotted classes. We want to tell the state and the Centre that no one will accept the Act. We have faith in the Supreme Court and they will consider the legal provisions related to Assam and the historic Assam Accord before giving any judgment.” said general secretary of the Gauhati University Post-Graduate Students’ Union Moon Talukdar.

However, those appearing for exams at colleges and universities faced no hassle.

Talukdar said the anti-CAA agitation would continue until the act is scrapped.

General secretary of the Cotton University Students’ Union, Rahul Bordoloi, said the “arrogant” Centre had failed to understand the voice of Assamese people.

“We will continue the protests if the Supreme Court does not give judgment in favour of Assam. The people of the state will ensure that the BJP government is voted out of power,” he added.

The All Assam Students’ Union is at the forefront of the sustained anti-CAA protests, besides Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti.