The Centre on December 11 airlifted 5,000 paramilitary personnel to Northeastern States, including Assam, for maintenance of law and order duties in wake protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which is being debated in Parliament, officials said.
Nearly 20 companies (2,000 personnel) have been withdrawn from Kashmir, where they had been sent prior to the Centre’s decision on August 5 to abrogate Article 370 provisions and split the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
The remaining 30 companies have been withdrawn from other places and rushed to Northeastern States, the officials said.
The troops are from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
Student organsiations in Assam are opposing the CAB seeks to provide Indian citizenship to minorities who have been victims of religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and have come to the country till December 31.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was stuck at the airport in Guwahati for sometime amidst the large scale protest, but reached the State guest house later, sources said.
