CAB protests: Assam CM stuck at Guwahati airport

Guwahati, Dec 11 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was stuck at the airport here for hours as thousands of protesters hit the streets protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Sonowal, who landed in the state capital from Tezpur, was stranded at the VIP lounge of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport, as his convoy could not roll out due to the massive protest.

Raising slogans against the central and state governments, the protesters were demanding unconditional withdrawal of the contentious bill.

The protests, which had started days back, intensified during the day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the legislation in the upper House of parliament.

The protesters tried to march towards the state secretariat and burnt tyres on the roads, creating a volatile situation, as the police tried to control the unrest by firing rubber bullets and lobbing tear gas shells.

Incidents of violence have also been reported from various parts of the state, with at least 25 protesters - including several students - sustaining injuries in police baton charge.

At least ten companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in Assam to help control the situation.