Shillong , Feb 13: Students and teachers of the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) protested against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 on Wednesday, the final day of the session in Rajya Sabha where the Bill could not be tabled.

The protest rally was held at the campus of Central University here under the theme “Save North East today, to save India tomorrow.”

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) led by the North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) organised the rally and supported by the Khasi Students’ Union – NEHU unit, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and other students’ bodies.

However, the JAC has called off the sit-in-demonstration which was proposed to be held tomorrow, after the Citizenship Amendment Bill was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

“We have decided to call off the sit-in-demonstration since the CAB have lapsed in the Rajya Sabha,” NEHUSU chief adviser Rangdajied Marwein said.

Earlier while speaking at a gathering before taking out the protest march, Marwein said the JAC will intensify its agitations to ensure that the North East region is not allowed to be made a dumping ground of immigrants.

“We will take the agitations beyond the campus, if the NDA government thinks that the Hindu immigrants are more important than the North East people,” he said.

The student leader also asked the BJP-led NDA government to open heart to the millions of Indians who are starving in the country instead of opening its heart to immigrants from countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

“We request to open your heart first to the thousands of tribals whose rights are being infringed on a daily basis and to the innocent people of NE who have to bear the brunt of the Armed Forces Special Powers’ Act (AFSPA),” he said.

Marwein said the voice of the rally is to say no to the Citizenship bill, because it will be a silent invasion against the indigenous people of the North east region.

On the other hand, NEHUTA president Prof XP Mao said that the joint action committee will also seek the support of other central universities in the North East to collectively stand against the CAB.