Imphal: Supporting the movement spearheaded by the Manipur People Against CAB (Manpac), protesters came out in large numbers in many areas of the city on Sunday while women vendors of a temporary market here staged a sit-in against the proposed legislation.
The women vendors of the Panthoibi temporary market at Khwairamban Keithel stopped their daily work and joined the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, a market committee official said.
Also read: Protests Rock Assam as Modi Government Prepares to Pass Citizenship Amendment Bill
The city police dismantled the ‘shamiyana’ (tent), set up by the women agitators and dispersed them to stop their movement, a senior officer said.
Convenor of Manpac, Yumnamcha Dilip said that people would continue to oppose the contentious bill.
The agitators have already announced that they will intensify their protests from Sunday midnight as the Centre is likely to introduce the bill in Parliament on Monday despite stiff opposition by various organisations in the region.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there.
They will be given Indian citizenship after residing in the country for five years, instead of 11 years which is the current rule.
Also read: Controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to Be Tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday
The indigenous people of the northeastern states fear that entry of these people will endanger their identity and livelihood.