The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), a conglomerate of eight major student bodies from the seven North Eastern states, has issued a press release announcing that December 11 will once again be observed as a “Black Day” across the region in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
According to the press release, NESO—which comprises the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), and All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU)—recalled that on December 11, 2019, the Government of India passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha despite what it described as the “relentless opposition” of the indigenous peoples of the North East. The press release stated that NESO continues to regard this day as a “Black Day” for the entire region.
As per the press release, NESO has decided that on December 11, 2025, Black Flags and Black Banners will be displayed at important locations across all seven North Eastern states. The organisation stated that this observance is intended to convey to the Government of India that the region remains opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and to remind the people of what it termed as “yet another political injustice” inflicted upon the indigenous communities of the North East.
NESO appealed to the people of the region to support the observance and to continue what it described as the fight for a just cause.