Anti-CAA Protests: Delhi Police conducts flag marches in hotspots; Bengal, Assam, Tripura likely to see agitations today

Anti-CAA protests had rocked the country when the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed

With the notification of the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the Narendra Modi-led government, the day will be focussed on observing how the developments unfold on the national political stage, particularly in states like Assam and West Bengal, where the immediate impact of the Centre's decision is anticipated.

The Delhi Police, along with the Rapid Action Force (RAF), conducted a flag march in the Seelampur area of Delhi today. Meanwhile, the Police has identified 43 hotspots in the national capital's northeast district, and carried out patrols in areas such as Seelampur, Jaffrabad, Mustafabad, Bhajanpura, Khajoori Khas, and Seemapuri on March 11 following the Centre's notification, according to an official statement. In the southeastern part of Delhi, paramilitary forces conducted a flag march, while local police patrolled the area on motorcycles.

The security in the national capital has been heightened by the Delhi Police, including a flag march in the Jama Masjid area, in light of both Ramazan and the CAA. DCP Central Delhi M Harsha Vardhan noted that the CAA is unrelated to any Indian citizen, and strict actions will be taken against those attempting to spread rumors or mislead the public.

Demonstrations are scheduled in northeastern states, Meghalaya and Tripura, organised by the North East Students’ Organisation.

Opposition Protests

The Opposition has already signaled its displeasure, as Chief Ministers from West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi have announced their resistance to the law's implementation. They allege that the BJP strategically released the rules just before the Lok Sabha elections to gain political advantage. Various Opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, Trinamool Congress (TMC), and AIMIM, have voiced their disapproval of the Centre's actions.

Kerala, as the first state to resist the enforcement of the CAA, will not enforce the law, according to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is affiliated with the Left. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, asserted that she would vehemently oppose the CAA if she perceived it as discriminatory towards certain groups residing in India and if it restricted their current citizenship rights in any way.

Hours after the CAA rules notification on March 11, All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 30 indigenous organisations engaged in the symbolic act of burning copies of the controversial CAA Act in various locations across the state, such as Guwahati, Barpeta, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, and Tezpur on March 11.

AASU has been actively opposing the CAA since its proposal, having already filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the legislation. Concurrently, student protests have erupted in various parts of the state, including at Cotton University in Guwahati.

Despite Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urging protestors to pursue legal avenues, warning against street protests, and cautioning against bandhs that could lead to loss of party registration, opposition political parties, student bodies, and organisations remain steadfast in their intensified protests against the CAA following the issuance of its rules.

The rules will enable the Narendra Modi-led government to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. The eligible groups include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians. Although the CAA was passed in December 2019, its implementation was delayed until the recent notification of rules.