Protesters across India have defied bans on public assembly, as anger continues to grow over a controversial citizenship law that is seen as discriminatory against Muslims.
Mumbai
Thousands of people on Thursday protested against the Citizenship Act at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan, the place where in 1942 Mahatma Gandhi told the then British rulers to quit India.
The gathering included workers of political parties, students and also a smattering of Bollywood personalities, who made out a strong case against the act and the National Register of Citizens.
Throwing their wrists in the air with slogans like Modi Shah se azaadi and with anger in their voice, the protesters marched towards the Maidan in Grant Road.
Noted freedom fighter G G Parikh, 94, who participated in the Quit India movement in 1942, was present at the Maidan. Also in attendance were politicians Raj Babbar, Hussain Dalwai and Milind Deora.
College students, IT professionals and members of various communities also participated in the protest.
Film writer Shahid Mirza asked the crowd what would they choose: Ambedkar or Golwalkar, Bhagat Singh or Savarkar, to which the crowd responded: Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh.
Actor Sushant Singh thanked students for participating in the protests. “We will follow the path of Mahatma Gandhi and we will fight with non violence,” he said.
Protesters shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “Tanashahi nahi chalegi (dictatorship won’t work),” they said.
Thousands of students from various parts of the city, members of various communities and political parties were seen marching towards the Maidan carrying placards, banners and handbills in their hands.
Some of the placards read “Hindu-Muslim ek hain, Modi Shah fake hain, “Sab taj uchhale jayenge, sab takht giraye jayenge“, “Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hain” and “Stop dividing India”.
The Mumbai Traffic Police advised commuters to take alternate routes and diversions around August Kranti Maidan and issued traffic restrictions from Nana Chowk and Kemps Corner.
Drones, riot control police and, State Reserve Police Force personnel were deployed at the August Kranti Maidan.
“With respect to agitations scheduled by some political parties against the Citizenship Amendment Act, to keep social harmony, peace and free flow of traffic some arrangements of traffic diversions were made,” an official said.
Traffic police barred entry for vehicles from Nana Chowk Junction to Kemps Corner Signal, while the vehicles coming from Kennedy Bridge, Grant Road Bridge towards August Kranti Maidan, Kemps Corner were diverted through Nana Chowk Junction towards North and South Mumbai.
New Delhi
IMAGE: Swaraj Abhiyan founder and activist Yogendra Yadav is detained by police for defying prohibitory orders imposed by the Delhi Police in the area during an anti-Citizenship Act protest, at Red Fort, in New Delhi, on Thursday. Photograph: PTI Photo
Senior opposition leaders, a large number of students and activists were detained on Thursday by police on their way to two mega demonstrations against the new citizenship law as prohibitory orders and restrictions on internet and mobile phone services in parts of Delhi-NCR inconvenienced thousands of people.
IMAGE: Left leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat and others raise slogans during an anti-Citizenship Act protest, at Red Fort, in New Delhi, on Thursday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo
Opposition leaders including D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat, Ajay Maken Sandeep Dikshit and activists Yogendra Yadav, Umar Khalid, were among those detained near the Red Fort and Mandi House — the sites of the two demonstrations.
Entry and exit gates of at least 18 Delhi Metro stations were shut while barricades were erected in large part of South, East and North Delhi to check movement of protesters, triggering massive traffic snarls in large parts of the city.
IMAGE: Protesters detained by police for defying prohibitory orders imposed by the Delhi Police in the area near Red Fort in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo
Internet, voice and messaging services by Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio were suspended in parts of Delhi-NCR following instructions from the police. As per the order, services were suspended for locations including walled city areas of north and central districts, Mandi House, Seelampur, Jaffarbad, Mustafabad, Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh and Bawana.
‘In view of the prevailing law and order situation, it is hereby directed that communication of all types i.e. voice, SMS and internet, be halted from 0900 hours to 1300 hours in Cell IDs/BTS (base transceiver stations) covering the following areas for 19-12-2019,’ said the order issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, New Delhi
IMAGE: Two protests were scheduled in the national capital, one by students and activists and the other by Left parties. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo
In the area around the Red Fort, scores of protestors were dragged into buses by police in a bid to clear the area where Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed which restricts gathering of more than four people.
“I have just been detained from Lal Qila. About a thousand protesters already detained. Thousands on the way,” Yadav tweeted.
The protests were organised in Delhi as part swirling agitation against the citizenship law which triggered massive demonstration in across the country.
“How many people will your jails hold? As Gandhiji said, once people lose the fear of being detained, they are free. Then the oppressors have lost. That is what is happening with the CAA protests,” tweeted activist Prashant Bhushan.
IMAGE: Traffic Jam on the Delhi-Gurugram expressway due to protests, in Gurugram. Police have placed barricades and are checking vehicles coming from Gurugram to Delhi due to which the traffic is affected on the stretch. Photograph: PTI Photo
As they were not allowed to proceed to venue of the protests, small demonstrations were held in several areas including Rajghat, Shantivan, Daryaganj and the area near Inter State Bus Terminal in Kashmiri Gate.
“I know many of our mates are being detained, despite that many have gathered here. The citizenship of this country cannot be divided and this is our protest call today,” Yadav said.
The Delhi Police has urged protestors to go to the designated place for their protest.
IMAGE: Police personnel offer refreshments to protesters who were detained at Surajmal stadium in New Delhi. Photograph: Courtesy Delhi Police
“We are requesting the protesters to please apply for the designated place for the protest. In the non-designated places, public face problems and many emergency services get affected.
“We urge people to not listen to any rumours. Section 144 has already been imposed in the area. Please cooperate with the Delhi Police,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said.
Two protests were scheduled in the national capital, one by students and activists and the other by left parties.
The two marches were to meet at Shaheen Park near ITO.
Bengaluru and Mangaluru
IMAGE: Police personnel pelt stones during their clash with the protesters participating in a rally against the amended Citizenship Act and NRC in Mangaluru. Photograph: PTI Photo
Police lobbed tear gas shells, resorted to baton charge and fired in the air to disperse anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters in Mangaluru, as thousands of demonstrators hit the streets in many cities and towns across Karnataka on Thursday defying prohibitory orders.
Scores of people including historian Ramachandra Guha were among demonstators who were detained and later released.
Vehicles were set on fire and stones hurled at police personnel as protesters allegedly went on the rampage in Mangaluru.
Police retaliated by firing in the air to warn them after tear gas shells and a baton-charge proved futile.
Religious preachers too made a fervent appeal to people through loudspeakers of a place of worship not to resort to violence.
WATCH: Karnataka police detains historian Ramchandra Guha
The Mangaluru police commissioner has imposed curfew with immediate effect till the midnight of Friday in Central sub-division of the city covering five police stations, said a top district official.
Prohibitory orders clamped in Bengaluru under section 144 of the CrPC that bans assembly of more than four people had no effect as people in large numbers came out onto the streets opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.
Sensing deterioration of the law and order situation, district authorities in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Chikkaballapura imposed section 144 for the next three days starting from Thursday.
Police had made elaborate arrangements to enforce the ban order but to no avail as demonstrators started thronging important locations of various cities to take part in the protests.
In Bengaluru, demonstrations took place at the Town Hall where, among others, historian Ramachandra Guha participated.
IMAGE: Noted historian Ramachandra Guha being detained by police during a protest against an amended Citizenship Bill, at Town Hall in Bengaluru. Photograph: PTI Photo
While he was protesting with a placard, which read “CAA is against the Constitution”, policemen held him by his hand and took him away from the venue in a government bus kept reserved only to take away the protesters.
He was later released.
Soon after his arrest, people in hundreds swarmed the Town Hall. Buses parked near the venue by police to take away the protesters proved insufficient.
Police personnel were seen persuading the protesters to withdraw their protests but it did not have any effect as more and more people started crowding the venue, resulting in a traffic jam.
Long traffic snarls were witnessed in many parts of the Central Business District as a cascading effect of the protests at the Town Hall.
Holding placards and waving the tricolour, protesters raised slogans such as ‘Hum Le Ke Rahenge Azadi’ and ‘Withdraw CAA and NRC’ and ‘CAA is against constitution.’
Similar demonstrations took place at Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Hassan and Shivamogga too.
Following the protests, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa asserted that protecting the interests of Muslims was the state government’s responsibility.
His statement came a day after he declared that his government will ‘100 per cent’ implement the CAA.
“I appeal to the minority Muslim brothers, this law will in no way affect you, protecting your interest is our responsibility. Kindly cooperate, maintain peace and order,” Yediyurappa said.
IMAGE: A protester being detained by police personnel as he defies the prohibitory orders imposed in the area, during a rally against the amended Citizenship Act, in Bengaluru. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
Speaking to reporters, he said, “We have not given permission for any agitation in favour or against the law, and section 144 (prohibitory orders) were in place.”
Alleging that the Congress was behind the protest, Yediyurappa said “it is because of people like U T Khader (Congress MLA) such things are happening, and if they continue in the same way, they will have to face the consequences.
Khader recently claimed that the state would “blow up in cinders” if the Yediyurappa government tried to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Yediyurappa even expressed surprise over Guha’s detention and said he has instructed police to exercise restraint against the agitators.
As the situation in various parts of the state turned grim, former chief minister Siddaramaiah hit out at Yediyurappa for clamping down on the protests.
He reminded how the protests intensified during British India due to the suppression.
“Be it Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh, Nehru or Sardar Patel, all the freedom fighters, along with many people, protested to fight for Independence, inspite of British regressive police actions.
Biocon chairman and managing director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw too expressed shock over Guha’s arrest. “This is shocking n (sic) reflects the total lack of understanding of fundamental freedom to express dissent – a peaceful protest shd not be mishandled in this manner,” she tweeted.
Bihar
IMAGE: Jan Adhikar Party workers vandalise a vehicle during Bihar Bandh against the NRC and Citizenship Amendment Act, in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo
Bihar witnessed large-scale disruption of traffic, vandalism and arson on Thursday on account of a state-wide shutdown called by Left parties in protest against the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed country-wide implementation of National Register of Citizens.
Several small parties like controversial former MP Pappu Yadavs Jan Adhikar Party and former Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahnis Vikassheel Insaan Party, the latter a constituent of the opposition Grand Alliance in the state, took active part in the dawn-to-dusk protests.
The Grand Alliance’s largest constituent, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, extended “moral support” to the bandh though its cadre stayed away from enforcing the same, saying they have called a shutdown against the amended Citizenship Act and proposed nationwide NRC on Saturday, December 21.
IMAGE: Protesters vandalise vehicles during Bihar Bandh against the NRC and Citizenship Amendment Act, in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo
Other constituents of the coalition Congress, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party and Hindustani Awami Morcha had on Wednesday pledged support to both the shutdowns though not much active participation was seen from these parties.
In the state capital, the JAP, a fledgling outfit, remained in the spotlight as it took the lead in vandalising buses and cars, burning tyres on the roads to obstruct movement of vehicles and squatting on railway tracks to prevent trains from running on time.
The JAP activists also came up with several camera-friendly forms of protest.
IMAGE: Vikassheel Insaan Party president Mukesh Sahni and his supporters block a railway track at Rajendra Nagar Terminal during a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register for Citizens and crime against women in the state during Bihar Bandh in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo
Some of the males donned saris and gyrated lustily to the tunes of ribald Bhojpuri numbers on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu across the Ganges that connects the capital city to north Bihar while many others demonstrated on the streets bare-chested notwithstanding the chilly weather.
Yadav, who was recently served with a notice by the Patna district administration under Section 107 of the Criminal Procedure Code which he had equated with a “house arrest”, marched on the streets accompanied by supporters all of them wearing handcuffs and shackles around their legs accusing the government of trying to smother dissent.
Around afternoon, a huge swarm of Left activists gathered at the Dak Bungalow crossing in the heart of the city, enthused by the presence among them of young Communist Party of India leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who has in the recent past participated in similar protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in other parts of Bihar as well as outside the state.
IMAGE: Jan Adhikar Party Chief Pappu Yadav with supporters protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register for Citizens and rise in the incidents of crime against women in the state during Bihar bandh. Photograph: PTI Photo
Educational institutions and commercial establishments remained open by and large as police personnel were on their guard preventing band supporters from enforcing the bandh, many of whom were also rounded up.
Citizens were bemused to see Sanjay Paswan, an outspoken MLC of the BJP, hitting the streets along with scores of supporters.
“I am carrying out this demonstration in protest against attempts by the opposition to mislead the nation on issues like CAA and NRC. It is our duty to caution the people against these elements”, Paswan told reporters.
In the politically sensitive north Bihar town of Muzaffarpur, a massive procession was taken out by Left parties.
They were joined by members of several Muslim organisations, who carried the tricolor and pictures of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and raised slogans accusing the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of reneging on the ideals espoused by the country’s founding fathers.
IMAGE: CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar addresses a gathering during Bihar Bandh against NRC and Citizenship Amendment Act in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo
In Begusarai, a former Left bastion, which is currently the Lok Sabha constituency of Union minister Giriraj Singh, scores of women donning Burqas hit the streets in protest the legislation and the proposed NRC carrying huge banners with “save the Constitution, save the country” inscribed thereon.
In Bhagalpur, a communally sensitive town known for its silk industry, bandh supporters burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Long queues of stranded vehicles were seen on national highways close to Muzaffarpur, Begusarai and Jehanabad where police personnel had a tough time convincing the bandh supporters many of whom had placed heaps of burning tyres on the roads – to allow the plying of cars, buses and trucks.
“Rail traffic has been normal barring one or two stray incidents”, the East Central Railway headquartered at Hajipur said in a statement.
Hyderabad
Scores of protesters including students were taken into preventive custody in different parts of Hyderabad when they were planning to hold protests, police said.
They were secured as there was no permission to hold any form of protest including rallies and processions, police added.
Those detained include over 50 students of the University of Hyderabad.
IMAGE: Women being hauled away by the police in Hyderabad. Photograph: PTI Photo
The protests were planned in different parts of Hyderabad including near the Charminar at the Old City.
The city has been witnessing sporadic protests by various organisations including students and political parties against the CAA for the past few days.
They have also been protesting the police crackdown against Jamia Milia University students in Delhi.
Gujarat
Police on Thursday baton-charged some people who gathered in Sardar Baug area in Ahmedabad to protest.
A police official said they dispersed the protesters to maintain law and order as those who had gathered were not given permission to hold the protest.
WATCH: Gujarat Police lathi-charge protesters in Ahmedabad
The protest was organised by Left parties, including the CPI and CPI-M, and organisations associated with them.
“We had not given permission for this protest. We dispersed them to maintain law and order,” a police official said.
At least 12 members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) were detained from outside a college for protests against the new citizenship law, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Patel said.
Autorickshaws were plying in Ahmedabad which largely remained unaffected by the bandh call, he said.
While shops in Muslim-dominated areas of Juhapura, Jamalpur, Gomtipur and Teen Darwaja were shut since morning, the bandh call, given by ‘Alp-Sankhyak Adhikar Manch’, failed to evoke response in other areas as commercial establishments remained open there, police said.
A cloth market in Dhalgarwad area of old city remained shut since morning.
A banner saying ‘The cloth market will remain closed today against the draconian law of CAA and NRC’ was put by traders on the main road leading to the market.
However, no autorickshaw union associated with the Congress extended its support to the bandh call, Patel said.
“The bandh call had no major impact. Autorickshaws are also plying on roads. There was no incident of people being forced to close their shops. There may be some places where shops were shut voluntarily, but almost the entire city remained unaffected,” he said.
Patel said 12 members of the NSUI were detained from outside a college near Lal Darwaja area of old city for demonstrations against the new citizenship law and NRC.
Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and various other parties have formed a front called ‘Hum Bharat Ke Log’ and are organising a protest.
It will hold a protest at the August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
Besides the Maharashtra units of Congress and NCP, the Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Janata Dal-Secular, Peasants and Workers Party of India, Muslim League and various citizen organisations will also take part in the protest.
‘The Constitution, drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar, is being violated and is under attack. This is the reason that the entire country has chosen this day to condemn the unconstitutional and divisive laws of the BJP government,’ the release by the front said.
Lucknow
IMAGE: A vehicle torched allegedly by protesters during a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act at Madeyganj outpost in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo
Violent protests broke out in Lucknow against the new citizenship law on Thursday afternoon when a mob pelted stones and torched vehicles parked outside a police post.
DGP OP Singh said police had to fire tear-gas shells to control the situation in Madeyganj area.
IMAGE: A policeman at Madeyganj police outpost where five motorcycles were set ablaze, in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo
About 20 people have been taken into custody, he added.
Tension was palpable in some other areas, especially the Muslim-dominated Old City areas, and police officials were having a tough time maintaining law and order.
IMAGE: Samajwadi Party leaders climb Vidhan Sabha gate during a protest against CAA in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo
Senior officers were camping in the areas disturbed by protests.
Meanwhile, Congress sources said, UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu was detained when he was leading a protest against the law his party says is discriminatory in the busy Parivartan Chowk, near the District Magistrate’s office.
Thousands of students from various parts of the city, members of various communities and political parties were seen marching towards the Maidan carrying placards, banners and handbills in their hands.
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