Citizenship Bill row: Modi shown black flags at Guwahati on second consecutive day

Agencies

February 9, 2019

Feb 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shown black flags in at least two places in Guwahati on Saturday for the second consecutive day over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

Modi, who was on his way to the airport from the Raj Bhawan, was shown black flags by protesters belonging to the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) at Machkhowa area.

Minutes later, a group of students showed black flags to the prime minister when his huge convoy was passing through the Gauhati University at Jalukbari area.

Members of both the groups were detained, police said.

While hundreds of Gauhati University students waved black flags at Modi in Jalukbari area, activists of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and AJYCP did the same at Adabari and Fancy Bazar areas.

Members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) were also seen waving black flags to the prime minister and shouting slogans as his convoy crossed the AASU headquarters on the Mahatma Gandhi Road at Uzan Bazar.

Members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) showed black flags to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shouted slogans against the Citizenship Bill as he travelled to Raj Bhavan from the airport after he arrived in the city on Friday evening.

Modi is on a two-day visit to the Northeast.

AASU members were seen waving black flags to the prime minister at Gauhati University gates as he passed the area on his way to the Raj Bhavan around 6.30 pm from Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.

Another group of AASU members waved black flags as Modi's carcade whizzed past several minutes later at its headquarters on M G Road.

Slogans like 'Modi go back', 'Scrap Citizenship Amendment Bill', 'Joi Aai Asom' (Glory to Mother Assam) were raised.

The demonstrators were restricted to the AASU office compound by the police who locked its gates, claimed AASU chief advisor Sammujal Bhattacharya.

The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8 and is awaiting nod from the Rajya Sabha. It is being opposed by majority of the Northeastern states.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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