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<ul><li>The Indian government has been shutting down internet services in select parts of the country amid protests against the <keyword id="6564012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="citizenship-amendment-act">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA).</li><li>The internet shutdowns have led an outcry from human activists that such measures aren’t coming down through the ‘right channels’.</li><li>The accelerated pace and expanse of the internet shutdowns also has China citing India as ‘setting an example’.</li><li>Businesses aren’t immune to the effects either as many online retailers rescheduled orders or reported a dip in sales.</li></ul>Amid the protests, violence and discord over India’s newly formed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), authorities have been shutting down access to the internet in selected areas to control the situation. When the internet isn’t being shut down, it’s at least being slowed down — known as throttling. Human rights activists claim that the order did not come down the ‘right channels’ making the entire exercise ‘illegal’. 
 <div type="image" title="protest2_edited" msid="72931875" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Throngs of anti-CAA protests outside the Red Fort in New Delhi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 It can only be ordered by a competent authority like Union home secretary or state home secretary, but this order was not issued by them," technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary told <a href="https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/delhi-internet-shutdown-did-not-come-via-right-channel-digital-right-activists/72897911">ET</a>. And, this is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/internet-shutdowns-in-india-have-skyrocketed-but-now-the-indian-government-wants-that-to-stop/articleshow/67178243.cms">not the first time</a> that the government is being accused of using <keyword id="991379" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Internet-shutdown">internet shutdown</keyword> as a ‘quick fix’ solution for ‘potentially’ volatile situations. 
 <div type="image" title="protest6_edited" msid="72931857" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Phone with postpaid connections finally get network access in Kashmir on 14 October 2019 after 71 days of an internet shutdown&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In fact, India has turned so infamous for it during the last few months that China — known for its strict surveillance of online activity — is citing India as an example. India’s internet shutdown shows normal practice for sovereign countries," said an editorial by Qing Qiu in <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/1217/c90000-9641267.html">People’s Daily</a> — China’s largest newspaper and a controlled entity of the country’s ruling party. Internet shutdown capital of the world The government is allowed to sanction an internet shutdown in the case of a public emergency under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. The problem is that internet shutdowns have become so common in India that it now has a reputation for being the ‘<a href="https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/inside-the-internet-shutdown-capital-of-the-world-11575644823381.html">internet shutdown capital of the world</a>’. Kashmiris had to endure a four-month-long shutdown while the networks in Assam and parts of West Bengal were sporadically cut and activated. 
 <div type="image" title="protest7_edited" msid="72931888" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Parts of Kashmir remain under curfew and internet black out&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 Since 2012, the internet has been shut down in India a total of 375 times and most of them have occurred during the last two years — 134 in 2018 and 103 in 2019. It means that shutting down the internet in a state of emergency should be standard practice for sovereign countries," according to the <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/1217/c90000-9641267.html">People’s Daily</a> editorial. Impact of internet shutdowns The damage of an internet shutdown isn’t restricted to missing messages on WhatsApp or an update on Instagram either. Although, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did ironically try and send out a tweet his ‘brothers and sisters in Assam’ when it was under an internet blackout. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="77241" retweetcount="15350" status="I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I wa… https://t.co/VPsj5t5opd" createdat="1576124902000" id="1204981291730341888"></div>



 Internet shutdowns are affecting businesses as well. Between 2012 to 2017, they cost the economy nearly $3 billion, according to an estimate by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (<a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2018/apr/26/internet-shutdown-cost-indian-economy-usd-3-billion-from-2012-17-study-1806393.html">ICRIER</a>). This time around, food delivery apps like Zomato, Uber Eats and Swiggy saw their <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cabs-to-food-e-biz-hit-by-internet-shutdown/articleshow/72920805.cms">volumes dip by 10 to 20%</a> in Delhi. Grofers, an online grocery delivery service, had to reschedule 20,000 to 25,000 of its orders in Lucknow. 
 <div type="image" title="protest1_edited" msid="72931915" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Traffic comes to half as roads get blocked by anti-CAA protestors in New Delhi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In addition the effect on businesses, this might not be the best time for the Indian government to be exercising its power in such a way with the Personal Data Protection Bill underway. The bill is currently under discussion by a joint committee after being tabled in the Parliament in its last session. There are concerns that it has too many loopholes that will give the government access to user data in the name of ‘national security’ or a ‘public emergency’ — the very same reason used to justify the many internet shutdowns across the country. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/internet-shutdowns-in-india-have-skyrocketed-but-now-the-indian-government-wants-that-to-stop/articleshow/67178243.cms">Internet shutdowns in India have skyrocketed — but now the Indian government wants that to stop</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/All-the-countries-where-someone-managed-to-shut-down-the-entire-internet-160and-why-they-did-it/articleshow/70009168.cms">All the countries where someone managed to shut down the entire internet - and why they did it</a> <a href="http://businessinsider.in/india-accounted-for-most-number-of-intentional-internet-shutdowns-in-south-asia-2017-18-unesco/articleshow/64189016.cms">India accounted for most number of intentional internet shutdowns in South Asia 2017-18: UNESCO</a>

Indian government shut off the Internet over a 100 times in 2019 — and China is lovin' it

<ul><li>The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 is one of the primary issues in the north east states that are going to vote today. </li><li>While the BJP is playing the development card, Congress is stressing how they can stop the bill from becoming a reality. </li><li>It’s an obstacle for BJP since they even reiterate wanting to enact the bill in their election manifesto.</li></ul> As the first phase of India’s general election begins, the north east states of India will be voting against the backdrop of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 and the ongoing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-citizenship-bill-assam-protests-rise-conrad-sangma-and-aribam-syam-sharma-join/articleshow/67830987.cms">protests</a> in Assam. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) first introduced this bill in the lower house of parliament — the Lok Sabha — during the winter session, but it is still pending approval from the upper house, the Rajya Sabha. Despite severe opposition, in its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bjp-manifesto-for-lok-sabha-election-2019-on-data-privacy-and-protection/articleshow/68775987.cms">election manifesto</a>, the BJP <a href="https://www.bjp.org/en/manifesto2019">reiterated</a> its commitment towards the bill saying that it is “for the protection of individuals of religious minority communities from neighbouring countries escaping persecution.” There are two facets to why some people have an issue with the new amendment. First off, Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Bhuddists and Parsis from the neighboring countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan will be able to apply for citizenship provided they’ve been in India for seven years. In contrast, the currently provision requires 12 years of residence in India in order to eligible for citizenship. Secondly, it’s in contradiction to the Assam Accord. The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 wants to grant nationality to non-Muslims who have come into India upto December 31, 2014. But, the Assam Accord dictates that all immigrants to have entered the country illegally after 1971 have to be deported — irrespective of religion. The fear is that in relaxing the norms around citizenship, as many as 20 million Hindus will migrate from Bangladesh to India and wipe out the local communities. Not to mention that the new amendment completely ignores Muslims. Nearly 4 million are, more or less, illegal immigrants since the final draft list of the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) was <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45082757">released</a> to determine the citizenship of nearly 15 million migrants in north east India. India’s current prime minister and a member of the BJP has repeatedly asserted that illegal Muslim immigrants will be deported. Some feel that Bangladesh is <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45002670">unlikely</a> to accept such a request, and thus, this may end up being another Rohingya where a large amount of people will be left stateless. Congress has played that card to their advantage backing the voters and assuring them that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 is a serious threat to their existence. The BJP has cautiously stated that they will “not take any step that hurts the interests of Assamese and other indigenous communities” and has switched gears to focus on development in the north east states highlighting how the Modi government has been able to complete multiple infrastructure projects in the area. Nonetheless, the continuous tensions have had a polarising effect in the north east states. On April 7, a Muslim man was heckled and abused for ‘selling beef’ and also made to eat pork, even though that goes against his religion. Fourteen out of 25 north east’s parliamentary constituencies are going to go to the polls today and the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 is one of the major issues in these states.

The north-east of India is voting to decide whether 4 million undocumented people should continue living in India

<ul><li>Indian government is pushing to amend the Citizenship bill 2016. </li><li>New bill will allow illegal immigrants from specific religions to become citizens. </li><li>Assam is witnessing continuous protests as the bill enters Rajya Sabha for debate.</li></ul>India’s Narendra Modi government is <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/top-bureaucrats-in-assam-concede-situation-is-challenging/story-lAEMW9tS4HdJ7ZkPdHsTuN.html">pushing for a bill</a> which will make illegal migrants from six religions and three countries — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan — eligible for Indian citizenship. Even allies like <keyword id="195349" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Conrad-Sangma">Conrad Sangma</keyword>, the chief minister of Meghalaya whose party is part of the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has opposed the amendments. Representatives of 11 political parties met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday to lodge their protest. Even the Manipur-based filmmaker and music composer Aribam Syam Sharma has decided to return his 2006 Padma Shri award in protest. 
 <div type="image" title="2a0ccca39f94fed61e852179945319e5" msid="67832687" hostid="261"></div>



Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a BJP rally in Silchar, Assam on Jan 4, 2019. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in lower house of the Parliament, Lok Sabha, on 8 January, 2019. However, the upper house of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, will debate this bill in its ongoing session. Ahead of the debate, protests have broken out in the north eastern state of Assam, where citizens alleged that the new bill violates the Assam Accord, 1985 — which led to deportation of illegal immigrants in the state regardless of their religion. Last week families of around 855 martyrs of the anti-foreigners Assam Agitation of 1979-1985 returned the citation that the government had given them in 2016. Unrest over the issue has sparked violent protests in state for over a month now, and Assam police has reportedly grounded over 15 people. On Friday, two people<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/3-stage-nude-protest-outside-assam-secretariat-over-citizenship-bill-1986978"> stripped down </a>while a third person was found naked outside the Assam Secretariat in Guwahati, Assam. 
 <div type="image" title="0e51d9c25e9e204c8056e4b85962147e" msid="67832701" hostid="261"></div>



 Three men stage a nude protest near the Assam Secretariat in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Guwahati on Feb 1, 2019. The protesters were swiftly removed by security personnel. “India is a democracy, though people have the right to voice their ideas and demands, such actions are not appreciated in society,” <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/assam-admits-protests-over-citizenship-bill-a-challenge-calls-for-calm-1987411">said</a> Assam Chief Secretary Alok Kumar. The Bill makes illegal immigrants eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. This may violate Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees right to equality, according to public policy research organisation PRS. This includes amendments to permit cancellations of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) — which permits foreign citizens of Indian origin to stay and work in India. “This is a wide ground that may cover a range of violations, including minor offences (eg. parking in a no parking zone),” PRS said. Violence in other parts of the country Not just Assam, the bill faced protests from around the world — students from different universities in Assam gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi going against the central government holding placards that said ‘No to Citizenship Amendment Bill’, ‘Down with Citizenship Amendment Bill’ seeking the government to rollback the amendments. 
 <div type="image" title="adb60e5a1820b70ac8d412858c75a9ca" msid="67832702" hostid="261"></div>



Activists of All Assam Students Union (AASU) block National Highway 37 as they stage a demonstration against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, in Guwahati on Jan 29, 2019. The growing unrest will be a challenge for the BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls. The party has recently emerged as a political alternative in north east India. The party has managed to form the government in three out of the seven states in the region in recent years. However, the ongoing agitations may polarise the voters ahead of the next pan-India elections, and divide the votes. Defending the amendments proposed in the bill, BJP President Amit Shah <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/citizenship-bill-necessary-says-amit-shah/article26168945.ece">reportedly said</a> that “There are some decisions that are acceptable to some, not acceptable to others. The BJP has thought deeply about the Citizenship Amendment Bill before bringing it. We cannot leave a large swathe of people fleeing persecution hanging in mid-air. We believe that the Bill is necessary for the country,” he said.

India’s Citizenship Bill is faced with growing protests

<ul style=""><li style="">The NRC process will be carried out across India, Home Minister <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-shah">Amit Shah</keyword> said in <keyword id="48510" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha">Rajya Sabha</keyword> on Wednesday while making it clear that there would be no discrimination on the basis of religion.</li><li style="">Shah said the Government accepts that refugees - Hindu, Buddhists, Jain, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis - who left Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious atrocities should get Indian citizenship.</li><li style="">He said there is no provision in NRC that people belonging to other religions will not be included in the register.</li></ul> The NRC process will be carried out across India, Home Minister Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday while making it clear that there would be no discrimination on the basis of religion. Shah said the Government accepts that refugees - Hindu, Buddhists, Jain, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis - who left Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious atrocities should get Indian citizenship. "The process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be carried out across the country. No one irrespective of their religion should be worried. It is just a process to get everyone under the NRC," he said replying to a supplementary during Question Hour in the Upper House. He said there is no provision in NRC that people belonging to other religions will not be included in the register. "People from all religions who are Indian citizens will be included. There is no question of any discrimination on the basis of religion. NRC is a different process and the Citizenship Amendment Bill is different," Shah said. In <keyword id="6354915" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="assam">Assam</keyword>, the NRC process was carried out as per Supreme Court order, he said and added that when the NRC process will be implemented in the entire country Assam will also be included. The Home Minister said that in Assam, people whose name has not figured in the draft list, have the right to go to the Tribunal. "Tribunals will be constituted across Assam. If any person doesn't have the money to approach tribunals, then the Assam government will bear the cost to hire a lawyer," he said. He reiterated that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list. The Home Minister said the government accepts that Hindu refugees, Buddhists, Jain, Christians and Sikh and Parsi should get this country's citizenship and this is why the Citizenship Amendment Bill is there. "All refugees coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan on account of religious atrocities will get citizenship under the Bill," he said. He said Lok Sabha had passed the Bill and the Select Committee had approved it but Lok Sabha had lapsed. "Now it will come again. It has no connection with the NRC," he said.

NRC process to be carried out in entire country: Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha

<ul><li>Seven constituencies in <keyword id="6357783" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-bengal">West Bengal</keyword> - Bongaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Hooghly, Arambagh and Sreerampore - will head to the polls on May 6th as the election enters its latter phase. </li><li>One of the major issues polarising the state is the central government’s proposed <keyword id="383721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Register-of-Citizens">National Register of Citizens</keyword> (NRC) Bill and its pitting the incumbent state government, led by Mamata Banerjee’s TMC against the BJP, </li><li>Like the Citizenship Amendment bill, the NRC seeks to expel undocumented people living in various parts by deeming them illegal immigrants. </li><li>While campaigning at the end of March, BJP president <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-shah">Amit Shah</keyword> pledged to “throw out infiltrators” from West Bengal by implementing the NRC if voted to power.</li></ul> As India heads into its fifth week of polling, tensions are flaring in the east Indian state of West Bengal, so much so that the Election Commission (EC) is deploying members of central armed police forces <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/all-polling-booths-in-west-bengal-to-have-central-forces-from-fifth-phase/article27016769.ece">to all of the state’s polling booths </a>for the remainder of the elections. Seven constituencies in West Bengal - Bongaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Hooghly, Arambagh and Sreerampore - will head to the polls on May 6th as the election enters its latter phase. One of the major issues polarising the state’s constituents is the central government’s proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) Bill and its pitting the incumbent state government, led by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Like the Citizenship Amendment bill, the NRC seeks to expel undocumented people living in various parts by deeming them illegal immigrants. The citizenship amendment bill has been widely criticised across the country for discriminating against people on the <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/himanta-biswa-sarma-citizenship-ammendment-bill-assam-pakistan-1427021-2019-01-09">basis of religion.</a> The first draft of the NRC, released last year, left out the names of a number of residents of West Bengal. The idea has, however, gained some traction in some parts of the state such <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/west-bengal/nrc-citizenship-bill-to-decide-fortunes-in-north-bengal/articleshow/68881768.cms">as North Bengal</a> that see illegal immigration as a worrying issue. While the register is intended to be national, it is particularly important to West Bengal given its status as a border state. However, unlike states in the Northeast, West Bengal has a high number of Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh. While the bill might exempt them, the TMC has stressed <a href="http://aitcofficial.org/aitc/the-bjp-is-trying-to-impose-nrc-but-well-give-them-nbc-national-biday-goodbye-certificate-mamata-banerjee-at-samsi/?lang=bengali">that they won’t be safe</a>. While campaigning at the end of March, BJP president Amit Shah pledged to <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/amit-shah-promises-nrc-in-west-bengal-with-exemption-for-hindu-refugees/article26679409.ece">“throw out infiltrators</a>” from West Bengal by implementing the NRC if voted to power. In response, the TMC has said that it <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/west-bengal/will-never-allow-nrc-in-bengal-trinamool-congress/articleshow/68632272.cms">won’t allow the register to be implemented</a>, citing the division of the state on a communal basis. Just a few days ago, Bannerjee went so far as to <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/mamata-dares-bjp-to-conduct-nrc-survey-in-bengal-731661.html">dare the BJP</a> to implement the NRC. Demonetisation has also been <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha-2019/of-business-and-the-ballot-in-west-bengal/article26713937.ece">an important issue in the state</a>, which boasts a large share of informal workers and micro-small-and-medium enterprises (MSMEs). In fact, the ministry of MSME’s annual report last year shows that West Bengal had the highest number of MSMEs in the country <a href="https://msme.gov.in/sites/default/files/MSME-AR-2017-18-Eng.pdf">with nearly 8.9 billion</a> units. Given that the burden of demonetisation was disproportionately <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-government-wants-you-to-believe-that-demonetisation-didnt-slow-down-the-economy/articleshow/67785050.cms">borne by small business owners,</a> it seems highly likely that they’ll vote keeping this in mind. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/lok-sabha-elections-2019-first-phase-of-polling-key-issues-in-all-states/articleshow/68824300.cms">142 million voters go to polls today in 20 states— here’s a look at the key issues in every state</a>

The concept of ‘citizenship’ is dividing voters in this large east Indian state

New Delhi, Dec 12 () The civil aviation ministry on Thursday said movement of passengers at Dibrugarh airport in Assam has been disrupted due to blockage of road transportation to and from the aerodrome.
The stranded passengers have been evacuated in a phased manner, the ministry said in a series of tweets.
"In consultation with stakeholders, air operations to and from the airport shall resume as soon as the situation improves," it said.
On Thursday, airlines cancelled flights to various places in Assam, which are witnessing unrest due to protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB).
The ministry also said the temporary suspension of operations on Thursday is being closely monitored.
"The movement of passengers at Dibrugarh airport is disrupted due to the blockage of road transportation to and from the airport. The officials have extended all amenities to the stranded passengers with the help of local administration," the ministry said.
IndiGo, Air India, GoAir, SpiceJet and Vistara have cancelled their flights.
In a tweet, Vistara said it has cancelled flights "as per government advice due to current disturbances in Assam".
"Flight UK725 (IXB-DIB) and UK726 (DIB-IXB) are cancelled for today. We are offering free change/cancellation to Guwahati and Dibrugarh flights through Sunday, December 15," it said.
IXB and DIB are the codes for Bagdogra (West Bengal) and Dibrugarh airports. RAM RAM BAL
BAL

Stranded passengers at Dibrugarh airport evacuated in phased manner, says civil aviation ministry

Several academicians, former bureaucrats and judges, writers, artistes and scientists have expressed outrage over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill calling it "divisive" and violative of the Constitution and asked the government to withdraw it. In separate letters and petitions, they asserted that the proposed legislation threatens the federal framework provided by the Constitution and will fundamentally alter the character of the Indian republic if it comes into force. In an open letter, about 600 writers, artists, activists, former bureaucrats, ex-judges asked the government not to betray the Constitution. The signatories include historian Romila Thapar, author Amitav Ghosh, actor Nandita Das, filmmakers Aparna Sen and Anand Patwardhan, activists Yogendra Yadav Teesta Setalvad, Harsh Mander, Aruna Roy and Bezwada Wilson, former Delhi High Court Chief Justice AP Shah and the country's first CIC Wajahat Habibullah among others. "All of us from the cultural and academic communities condemn this bill as divisive, discriminatory and unconstitutional. It will, along with a nationwide NRC, bring untold suffering to people across the country. It will damage, fundamentally and irreparably, the nature of the Indian republic. This is why we demand that the government withdraw the bill. "This is why we demand that the government not betray the Constitution. We call on all people of conscience to insist that the Constitutional commitment to an equal and secular citizenry be honoured," the letter states. The Lok Sabha passed the bill a little past midnight on Monday after a heated debate that lasted over seven hours. The contentious Bill will be discussed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan after facing religious persecution there. According to the proposed legislation, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, till December 31 2014 facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship. If religious persecution was the logic presented in the bill, then why were refugees such as Rohingyas from Myanmar or Hindu or Muslim Tamils from Sri Lanka or Ahmadis from Pakistan left out, the signatories asked. "Why focus on only three countries as if these constitute the only possible sources of asylum-seekers?" they asked, stressing on the need to have a refugee policy in line with international law, not a legislation dictated by an ideology that makes use of religion for political gains. "The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 tears to shreds the inclusive, composite vision of India that guided our freedom struggle. In the amendments it introduces to the Citizenship Act of 1955, the new Bill violates every single one of these fundamentals of the Constitution," the letter states. After the legislation got the nod of the Lower House, civil rights activist Mander said if the bill is passed, he will practice civil disobedience. "I will officially register as a Muslim. I will then refuse to submit any documents to NRC. I will finally demand the same punishment as any undocumented Muslim -- detention centre &amp; withdrawn citizenship. Join this civil disobedience," Mander tweeted. In a separate petition, a group of scientists and academicians said the use of religion as a criterion for citizenship in the proposed bill would mark a radical break and would be inconsistent with the basic structure of the Constitution. Academician Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a signatory to the petition, said the citizenship bill will convert a constitutional democracy into a unconstitutional ethnocracy. "We can debate the past forever. But with <keyword id="6363576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cab">CAB</keyword> India takes a giant step to officially convert a constitutional democracy into a unconstitutional ethnocracy," he tweeted. Academician Ramchandra Guha hit out at Home Minister <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-shah">Amit Shah</keyword> and said he was a professed Savarakrite and had no issue with Muhammad Ali Jinnah's two-nation theory. "Savarkar, 1943: I have no quarrel with Mr Jinnah's two-nation theory. We Hindus are a nation by ourselves and it is a historical fact that Hindus and Muslims are two nations'. The home minister, a professed Savarkarite, has no quarrel with Mr Jinnah's two-nation theory either," Guha tweeted. The petition said the idea of India emerged from the independence movement, and as enshrined in the Constitution, is that of a country that aspires to treat people of all faiths equally. "The use of religion as a criterion for citizenship in the proposed bill would mark a radical break with this history and would be inconsistent with the basic structure of the Constitution. We fear, in particular, that the careful exclusion of Muslims from the ambit of the bill will greatly strain the pluralistic fabric of the country," the petition noted. The petitioners include those affiliated to Harvard University, Masachussets University, Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, Indian Institute of Science, Delhi University, Chennai Mathematical Institute, International Centre for Theoretical Science, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, the University of Bonn, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Oslo. Over 230 activists and academicians from Gujarat also wrote an open letter expressing concern over the bill. Some social organisations in Pune appealed to the Maharashtra government to move Supreme Court against the bill.

Romila Thapar, Amitav Ghosh, Nandita Das join 600 writers and artists to seek withdrawal of Citizenship Bill

Mumbai, Jan 22 () Small finance lender Ujjivan Small Finance Bank on Wednesday said its profit doubled to Rs 90 crore in October-December 2019, helped by improvement in operational efficiency, stable margins and cost controls.
 In the year-ago period, the lender had reported a profit after tax of Rs 45 crore.
 "We saw improvement in all parameters. We could maintain our NIMs, costs were under control and operational efficiency also improved," the bank's managing director and CEO Nitin Chugh told .
 Net interest margin stood at 10.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2019-20, against 11 per cent in last year.
 The bank saw its cost of funds reducing to 8.1 per cent during the quarter from 8.6 per cent in the year-ago period.
 Gross advances grew by 46 per cent to Rs 13,617 crore.
 Non-micro banking portfolio contributed 22 per cent to the total loan portfolio.
 Chugh said the bank faced some issues on repayments in its microfinance portfolio in Assam and a few neighbouring areas after the protest erupted following the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in December.
 Of the total microfinance lending book of Rs 10,000 crore, the lender has an exposure of Rs 430 crore in Assam.
 As a prudent measure, it has made a provision of Rs 4.9 crore towards its loan portfolio in the north-eastern state.
 "We are working with the state government and Microfinance Institution Networks (MFIN), a self-regulatory organisation (SRO), to resolve issues at Assam," Chugh said.
 Gross NPA was at 0.9 per cent as against 1.4 per cent while net NPA stood at 0.4 per cent from 0.3 per cent.
 It wrote-off of Rs 12 crore of loans in the third quarter.
 Its deposit base stood at Rs 10,656 crore as of December 31, 2019. It serves over 51.0 lakh customers through 574 branches and 17,783 employees spread across 244 districts and 24 states and union territories in the country. HV DP MR
MR

Ujiivan SFB posts 2-folds growth in Q3 profit

New Delhi, Dec 13 () Assam and other North Eastern states may face fuel supply issues if the agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act continues for another week, as it has already led to the shutdown of refineries and oil-producing facilities in the region.
 Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has been forced to shut down its Digboi refinery in Assam and is operating Guwahati unit at minimal throughput, while Oil India Ltd has been forced to shut LPG production and its crude oil production has dropped by 15-20 per cent, multiple sources at the state-owned companies said.
 Sources said the agitation has blocked the movement of tankers and trucks, which are mostly used to supply petrol, diesel and LPG from the refineries to different parts of the North East.
 With limited storage capacity, the companies have been forced to curtail production in absence of products being evacuated, they said.
 Oil India Ltd has shut LPG production for the same reason, they said, adding the agitation has also limited movement of employees and officers who work at the refineries and oil installations.
 "No employee could reach OIL facilities on Thursday," a source said, adding things improved a bit on Friday but attendance was low.
 Protesters pulled out employees from IOC refineries in Guwahati and Digboi, forcing curtailment of operations.
 Sources said if the agitation were to continue for another 7-10 days, the region may face fuel supply issues as in the absence of fresh replenishment the current stocks will exhaust and supply dry up.
 Bongaigaon, the third refinery in Assam, was already under maintenance shutdown when the agitation broke out.
 Two people were killed and 11 injured in police firing on protestors who have taken to streets since the Parliament approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill that would convert thousands of illegal immigrants into legal residents.
 Sources said OIL suspended LPG as IOC was not able to lift the cooking fuel due to protests. OIL has also stopped all drilling operations as the staff was not able to reach work.
 OIL supplies crude mainly to IOC's Digboi refinery and BPCL's Numaligarh unit.
 The firm has also stopped production from several gas wells, curtailing supplies to tea gardens and power and fertilizer plants. However, operations at Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) fields have been largely unaffected even though employees could not reach plants at some places, they said. ANZ ABM

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