Amid the rising protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Assam has been cancelled.
The PM was scheduled to visit Assam on Friday to inaugurate the third edition of Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati.
“The present situation in Assam is not appropriate for the Prime Minister to visit Assam,” intelligence sources informed.
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Khelo India Games, Avinash Joshi said that they have been informally informed that Modi would not visit Guwahati to inaugurate the sports event.
“We had invited the Prime Minister. Till now, no confirmation has come. But informally, we have been informed that he is not coming,” Khelo India Games CEO Avinash Joshi told a section of media.
The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on December 29 warned of intensifying protests if the Prime Minister visits Assam to inaugurate the games.
Popular singer Zubeen Garg, in a recent interview, said, “We wish the Prime Minister visits Assam for Khelo India Games. Then we will stage protests against CAA right from the airport.”
“He will then able to see how much we are against this Act and he may then rethinks about the decision to impose CAA in Assam,” Gard had added.
The Assam government, however, was confident that the agitation and protests would douse by the time games began.
On the contrary, anti-CAA protests have only intensified in the last week.
Anti-CAA slogans were also raised during the India-Sri Lanka T20 match in Guwahati on Sunday.
People also raised voice against Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the washed-out match.
Owing to anti-CAA stir in Assam, the December 16 India-Japan Summit in the state was also cancelled.