UK, France, Israel issue travel advisory for tourists visiting India: Should exercise caution

As Assam and Northeast continue to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill that has now become an Act with the assent of President Ram Nath Kovind, UK, France and Israel have issued a travel advisory for tourists travelling to the country amid nationwide outrage.

Recently, the UK, France and Israel government took to their website to publish safety advice to be followed by travellers, especially those who are planning to visit Northeast in India in view of the latest protests and violence, especially in Assam and Tripura.

As per the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

Northeast on edge

The massive outrage against the new legislation that seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants has left two dead in Guwahati when police opened fire on protesters. Train services to Assam and Tripura have been suspended while many flights to Guwahati have been cancelled in view of the protests against the Citizenship Act.

For another 48 hours, the internet has been suspended in Assam and Tripura where the protests have intensified since Amit Shah tabled the contentious Citizenship Bill and Rajya Sabha passed it.

Officials said protesters set fire to the house of MLA Binod Hazarika in Chabua and went on a rampage torching vehicles and the circle office.

With the situation worsening, the Army was conducting flag marches in Guwahati where protesters violated the curfew on Thursday morning.

Most flights to and from Guwahati and Dibrugarh have been cancelled by various airlines, while the railways suspended all passenger train services to Assam.

"Indigo Airlines has cancelled one flight to Guwahati from Kolkata. The flights to Dibrugarh are being cancelled by most airlines due to the ongoing protests. However, Indigo will operate a ferry flight to bring back the stranded passengers from Dibrugarh," an NSCBI Airport spokesperson said.

A Northeast Frontier Railway official said the decision to suspend passenger train operations to Assam and Tripura was taken on Wednesday night in view of the security situation.

A large number of passengers were stranded at Guwahati and Kamakhya with the railways' short-terminating long-distance trains at Guwahati.