Nearly 10,000 people took part in a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Chabua in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Monday.

The protesters, many of them dressed in traditional Assamese attire, took out a rally with gayan-bayan (singers and musicians). Several organisations, including the Asom Satra Mahasabha, and six xatras from across the state participated in the protest at the Chabua Sports Association playground. Chabua, also the birthplace of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, witnessed a huge protest organised by the All Assam Muttock Yuba Chatra Sanmilan. Senior citizens, teachers and xatradhikars, among others, participated in the protest.

The protesters performed naam prasanga (community prayers) against the Act and sought it to be scrapped by the Centre. “The Citizenship (Amendment) Act is a threat to Assam’s indigenous identity. It is nothing but a ploy to divide people. If the Act is implemented, the Assamese will be a minority in Assam,” a protester said.

Addressing the gathering, president of the All Assam Muttock Yuba Chatra Sanmilan David Chetia said, “Everybody is dissatisfied with the Act. We should strongly oppose the Act as it is against the Assam Accord and the secular fabric of our country.” The protesters shouted various slogans such as “Ei Mati Amar Mati (this land is our land), Khed Oi Khed Bidekhi Khed (chase away the infiltrators)”.

“The Centre forcefully imposed the Act in Assam without taking the consent of its people. We don’t want such an act, rather peace and prosperity,” Chetia added.