An Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) faction supporting Prafulla Kumar Mahanta staged a protest at the party headquarters here on Tuesday after the founder-president of the party was denied space in the building to hold a meeting.
The AGP, an ally of the ruling BJP in Assam, has been divided on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. While the party leadership has sided with the BJP on the law, the section led by Mr. Mahanta is opposed to it.
Protests erupted after Mr. Mahanta, along with his supporters, found the party headquarters locked in the morning.
The administration deployed security personnel as the situation seemed to go out of control. The group later decided to hold the meeting in a nearby hall. “The CAA is an open invitation to Bangladeshis to come and settle down in Assam,” Mr. Mahanta said.
Though the other faction, headed by AGP president and Minister Atul Bora, has said that it was against the CAA, it is on the same page with the BJP on the issue.
Phani Bhushan Choudhury, a Minister in Mr. Bora’s camp, said: “It was not a party meeting and thus had no significance.” He urged Mr. Mahanta not to indulge in activities that may harm the party.
