While the BJP is confident of the passage of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, in the Rajya Sabha, Assam is apparently moving towards non-stop agitation as the state is smouldered with protests opposing the bill.

The protests in Assam are having a similar interface as it witnessed during the Assam Agitation a popular movement against illegal immigrants which ended up with the signing of the 1985 Assam Accord.

In Guwahati, situation went out of control as thousands of student activities, organizations descended on the streets clashing with police in the afternoon hours of Wednesday. The magnitude of protests marked the chaos unseen since the 6-year Assam movement

Although no party or student body has called a shutdown, the Guwahati streets turned into a battlefield as the police resorted to blank firing, shelling tear gas, water canons who fought back. Anticipating untoward situation, the jittery shopkeepers were seen pulling down shutters within a matter of minutes and rushing to the safety of their homes.

The protestors also burnt tyres on GS Road as ‘Joi aai Asom’ rent in the air. Similar protests were reported from several other parts of the state too.

Meanwhile, security deployments have been increased in many places including Guwahati following the violent protests. The Assam Police has also launched WhatsApp helpline number (9132699735) for complaints related to hate or fake messages related to the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

In the midst of anti-CAB agitations, a wedding got cancelled in Dibrugarh. The groom who hails from Jorhat district couldn’t make it to the wedding venue due to the burning of tyres, road blockade and protests by the anti-Bill supporters.

The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to the people belonging to the Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who have become the victims of religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan and entered India on or before December 31st, 2014.

Photo: TIME8