The Indian Super League (ISL) football match between NorthEast United FC and Chennaiyin FC and Ranji Trophy games in Guwahati have been suspended due to the imposition of curfew following violent protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
In the ongoing Ranji Trophy tournament, Assam were to play against Services Sports Control Board (SSCB). Players and match officials have been advised to remain in their hotel rooms for safety reasons as the games have been suspended. It was earlier reported that the Ranji Trophy match in Agartala, being played between Tripura and Jharkhand, was also suspended. However, the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement that the match in Tripura is on as scheduled.
BCCI GM Cricket Operations Saba Karim said that they will take a call on whether the suspended matches will be played later or the points will be shared.
Meanwhile, the ISL match between NorthEast United FC and Chennaiyin FC has been postponed till further notice, as per a statement released by the league. The game was slated to be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Guwahati.
“The league has been in consultation with the concerned authorities over the past 48 hours to determine the best course of action. The safety of fans, players and league staff is of paramount importance, which has led to this decision,” the ISL added. The two teams did not train on Wednesday and the pre-match media interactions were also called off.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It has been slammed by many on the grounds that it discriminates people on the basis of religion. The bill was cleared by Lok Sabha on Monday.
Guwahati was placed under indefinite curfew on Wednesday night following anti-CAB protests spread across the region. The Army was called in at four places.
(With inputs from PTI)
