Guwahati: Ahead of Republic Day, security has been beefed up in Guwahati and other parts of Assam and Northeast after several banned militant groups called for boycotting the Republic Day celebrations in the region.
 
Eight militant outfits operating in the Northeast states have called for boycotting the Republic Day celebration in the region.
 
Banned outfits United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) NSCN (K), National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) and People’s Democratic Council of Karbi-Longri (PDCK), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kamatapur Liberation Organization (KLO), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) have called the people of ‘Western South East Asia (WESEA)’ region to boycott the Republic Day celebration.
 



 
The outfits have also imposed a 12-hour shutdown in the region beginning from 6 am till 6 pm on January 26.
 
In a joint statement, the banned outfits said that the purpose of passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Lok Sabha is to disrupt the peaceful situation in ‘WESEA’ region by going against the wishes of the people. 



 
“Many Indian nationalists protest the Bill on the ground that it violates secularism and serves Hindutva agenda. It is true that on its face value the Bill conveys an open assertion of religiously communalised nationalist hype centred on Hindutva, i.e., identifying India with Hinduism. Proving that, the Colonial ruler plays with the sentiments of the Hindus, who constitute the majority chunk of the population in India. By creating a fiction of persecuted Hindus in neighbouring countries, the rulers depict for itself an animated image of a Hindu messiah providing a safe haven (Hindustan) for fleeing Hindus. 

This populist tactic could manipulate the psyche of Hindus in blindly endorsing Hindu chauvinism and galvanise in expanding the numerical figure of Hindu voters. Colonial rulers aim to use the tactic as a handy tool for securing more seats in the upcoming parliamentary election. In short, the colonial ruler plays with religion-communal cards vis-à-vis its rival political parties. The recent Bill adds a qualitative difference to the continuous policy of demographic invasion. It selectively grants the wholesome concession of ‘naturalization’ or citizenship, to the groups of people as mentioned who have entered India before 31st December 2014. 

The Bill, therefore, arbitrarily delegitimises and contradicts: 

(a) the Assam Accord of 1985 and ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) updating process in Assam

(b) the agreement between the Government of Manipur and All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) & All Manipur Students' Coordination Committee (AMSCOC) in 1980; reiterated by an agreement signed between Government of Manipur and AMSU in 1994

(c) the popular movements for protection of Indigenous peoples in WeSEA such as Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and elsewhere 

(d) the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007,” the joint statement stated.
 
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up entire the region to tackle any untoward situation.
 
All the entry and exit points in Guwahati are under close security vigil and security personnel has checked all vehicles, suspected areas.