The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Manipur government on Tuesday imposed restrictions under Section 144 in Imphal East and West districts as protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 intensified. Mobile internet services were also suspended.
Leaders of the People’s Alliance Manipur (PAM), an umbrella organisation of civil bodies, said the police prevented people from coming out of their homes. However, many defied restrictions to carry out black flag protests while women vendors continued to squat in and around the Ima Keithel, considered Asia’s largest all-women market, in the State capital Imphal.
The PAM had called for a 36-hour State-wide shutdown from 5 a.m. on Monday.
Mizoram too witnessed widespread protests against the Bill with hundreds of persons on to the streets of Aizawl, holding placards, some of which read ‘Hello Independence’.
Coalitions on watch
In Meghalaya, the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) reiterated its decision to sever its ties with the BJP if the Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha. Despite being listed, the Bill was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The NPP has 20 MLAs in the ruling coalition comprising 36 legislators in the 60-member Assembly. The House has an effective strength of 59 after the death of one MLA.
The BJP is one of the NPP’s allies with two MLAs. Both have threatened to quit the party if the Bill is passed.
Severing ties with the BJP might not affect the NPP-led coalition government in Meghalaya, but it is likely to threaten the existence of the BJP-led Manipur government, though N. Biren Singh has opposed the Bill.
The NPP has four MLAs in Manipur where the strength of the BJP-led coalition is 31 just past the majority in the House of 60.
In Nagaland, the NPP has two MLAs in the ruling coalition that, like Manipur, has a strength of 31 in the 60-member Assembly. Withdrawal of support by the NPP could thus spell trouble for the coalition government headed by Neiphiu Rio of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party. The BJP has 12 legislators in this coalition.
The BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh headed by Pema Khandu too has opposed the Bill after days of defending it as a “misinterpretation” by the Opposition.