Shops open, cars out in Guwahati City peaceful after curfew is relaxed for 9 hours

People buy vegetables during the relaxation of curfew in Guwahati on Sunday Picture by UB Photos

Rokibuz Zaman, TT, 16.12.19,  Guwahati : There were many more people and more cars on the roads here on Sunday than on Saturday after curfew was relaxed from 9am for nine hours here in the capital city .

On Sunday, many more shops were also open to cater to the needs of those affected by the shutdown due to the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and curfew since Tuesday.

Peaceful protests were organised across the city. Celebrities, including film personalities, students and common people gathered in thousands at different places to protest against the CAA.

The Left-Democratic Mancha staged a sit-in in protest against the act, urging the government to scrap it. The protesters carried placards that read: “Don’t dare try to crush the voice of resistance”, “No CAA”, “Release Akhil Gogoi”, “CAB will make the locals minority”, “CAB will destroy the language and culture”.

Litterateur Hiren Gohain who participated in a protest said: “The suspension of Internet is the clear sign of suppressing free speech. This is not democratic rule; it is autocratic. The government is trying to gag the democratic voice of the united people of Assam. By bulldozing protests against the contentious and divisive citizenship act, they are doing injustice to Assam’s own people.”

A senior official said: “Curfew was relaxed between 9am and 6pm on Sunday. Curfew is expected to be relaxed on Monday morning if there is no fresh violence. However, the administration is yet to take a call on resum-ption of Internet services.”

On Sunday night, finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “Day curfew will be withdrawn completely in #Guwahati from Monday, December 16, 2019 as the city is limping back to normalcy. However curfew during nights, from 9pm to 6am, will continue for the time being.”

No violence was reported from anywhere in the city where two more protesters died of bullet injuries taking the toll to five in Assam.

Supply also started reaching the city from the districts giving some respite to the citizens. The prices of vegetables are still high than that in normal days. Most of the ATMs were shut.

“The ration situation has improved, but there is short supply of vegetables. We also do not have cash in hand as the ATMs are mostly empty. I hope things will improve further,” Lenio Krischena, a resident of Hatigaon, said.

Alia Hoque of Ganeshguri said: “Several shopkeepers are taking advantage of the shutdown. Earlier, an egg cost Rs 6, but now it is being sold at Rs 8 to Rs 10.”

The price of every vegetable has increased by Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kg in the last one week. Supply has been okay, but the wholesalers are taking advantage,” said a vegetable vendor in Ulubari. Wholesalers, however, blamed the retailers.

By evening, streets were mostly deserted and there was palpable tension.