Agartala, December 11:
Members of the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) and the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Thursday observed Black Day in Agartala, reiterating their firm demand for the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Dressed in black attire and holding placards, the protesters gathered to mark the sixth anniversary of the passage of the contentious legislation in the Rajya Sabha in 2019.
Speaking during the demonstration, TSF vice president and NESO finance secretary John Debbarma said December 11 remains a painful reminder for the indigenous people of the region.
“This day is marked as a Black Day because the draconian Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament despite widespread resistance from indigenous communities,” he said.
Questioning the rationale behind the Act, Debbarma said, “If the CAA is considered unsuitable for Sixth Schedule areas and inner-line regions, how can it be beneficial for other parts of the Northeast?”
He added that the annual observance is meant to remind present and future generations of what he termed a “political injustice” committed against the indigenous peoples of the region.
Protesters echoed this sentiment, stating that the annual Black Day observance sends a clear message to the Union government that the Northeast continues to oppose the CAA and stands united against policies they believe threaten the rights and identity of indigenous populations.
