Shillong, Jan 8: Normal life came to a standstill in Meghalaya on Tuesday during the dawn to dusk shutdown called by the North East Student’s Organisation (NESO) in protest against the central government’s decision to go ahead with the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The Bill aimed at amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who belong to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan – eligible for citizenship of India.

The Khasi Student’s Union, Garo Student’s Union, which are part of NESO and several other organizations are supporting the bandh in Meghalaya.

Government offices, educational and financial institutions remained closed, while vehicles were off the road during the bandh. The shutters were down in the shop-markets- business establishments.

“Attendance in the government offices was very poor. No untoward incident were reported during the bandh hour,” a government official said

However, bandh supporters created road blockades by placing boulders and burning tyres on the roads to prevent movement of vehicles.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said that his government, which is supported by the BJP, to oppose the move by the BJP-led NDA government to bring an amendment to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

“There is no confusion about our stand on this issue. We were the first Government to come out with an official resolution within the Cabinet to oppose the propose Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016,” he told reporters on Monday night.

On Sunday, miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the BJP headquarters damaging the front windows of the office.