CAA: College Students Boycott Classes in Assam, Show Black Flags

College students across Assam showed black flags in front of their institutions and burned copies of the CAA.

Students protesting outside Tinsukia College in Assam on Wednesday, 22 January

(Photo Courtesy: EastMojo)

Students of most colleges across upper Assam showed black flags in front of their institutions and burned copies of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Wednesday, 22 January, amid a boycott of classes.

The development comes on a day when the Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of CAA, and on the backdrop of a total shutdown of a higher educational institution called by Northeastern Universities Students' group in the region.

Speaking with EastMojo, Women's College Students' Union general secretary Priyanka Mohanty said, "From Rs 50 lakh loan to scholarships and free books, whatever temptations may come, one thing is absolutely clear that we will not accept CAA."

If the government feels that since it has become an Act now, students will forget it after two days because the students are engaged in the ongoing admissions, they are mistaken," Mohanty added.

A college student in Tinsukia holding ‘No CAA’ placard

Once again, placards and slogans were the "weapons" of protest. Holding placards in their hands, hundreds of students raised anti-CAA slogans, which gained popularity with the protests intensifying in front of their college gates.

“We the members of Tinsukia College Students’ Union and AASU have burned copies of CAA in front of the college gate,” an activist of AASU told media persons outside Tinsukia College.

“We want to warn Delhi and Dispur governments that our democratic protest will continue till the time this Act is not scrapped. We will not allow imposing this Act on the indigenous people of Assam,” he added.

Protesters burn copies of CAA in front of Tinsukia College in Assam

AASU Dibrugarh district president Bulbul Dutta said, "All colleges under Dibrugarh University have boycotted classes, showed black flags and burned CAA copies on the appeal of our organisation."

(This article has been published in arrangement with the EastMojo)