Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) have intensified across India. The agitation took a violent turn in various pockets of Uttar Pradesh on December 20, including Meerut, Kanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Bulandshahar.
In Delhi's Daryaganj, vehicles were torched, even as security is beefed up and several metro stations have been shut.
Update:
Candle light vigil underway at Jama Masjid in New Delhi. BHIM Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad spotted at the stairs of Jama Masjid. The Police is standing guard outside the gates. (CNN News18)
Assam government:
Curfew relaxed for 16 hrs tomorrow from 6 AM to 10 PM in Dibrugarh district. Restriction imposed on all country spirit shops and other establishments retailing liquor has also been relaxed. Sale of liquor will be allowed only from 12 noon to 4 pm. (ANI)
Firefighters douse a car after demonstrators set it on fire during a protest against the citizenship law in Delhi. (Image: Reuters)
Meanwhile, 35 demonstrators from protests happening at Jama Masjid have been admitted in LNJB Hospital. Most of them have suffered head injuries, CNN News 18 has reported.
Delhi Police:
Today afternoon, a large crowd gathered in the area of Jama Masjid for prayers. After prayers, they wanted to proceed towards Jantar Mantar, but the senior officers present at the spot persuaded them not to march towards Jantar Mantar.
In the evening, suddenly some anti-social elements in the gathering started breaking the barricades and indulged in stone-pelting in a bid to march towards Jantar Mantar against the police advice. Police used water cannon and absolutely minimum force to push them back.
While protesters were being pushed back, a private car parked at Subhash Marg, Darya Ganj was set ablaze. The police staff immediately doused the fire. Some police personnel incl senior officers were injured in stone-pelting. Around 40 persons have been detained.
– ANI
No Indian will be harassed by asking to submit old documents to prove citizenship: MHA
No Indian citizen will be unduly harassed or put to inconvenience by asking to prove citizenship by showing documents like birth certificates of parents or grandparents dating back to a period before 1971, the Home Ministry said on December 20.
In a series of tweets, a ministry spokesperson said illiterate citizens not having any documents, will be allowed to produce witnesses or local proofs supported by members of community.
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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
at a protest, at India Gate, Delhi: Citizenship Act andNRC are against the poor. The poor they will be most affected by it. What will the daily wage labourers doDemonstrations should be held peacefully. (ANI)
JUST IN |
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi joins protest at India Gate, CNN News18 has reported.
14 people taken into preventive custody after Friday prayers in Hyderabad: PTI report
As many as 14 people were taken into preventive custody at the historic Mecca Masjid here after Friday prayers during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens, police said. "We have taken 14 people into preventive custody at the Mecca Masjid. They were let off afterwards," ACP Charminar B Anjaiah said.
Nirmala Sitharaman:
I wish to state that as and when NRC process will start, it will not start without consulting the stakeholders or talking to people. I find it very very surprising that responsible political parties are linking Citizenship Act to something which hasn't started yet.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman:
Citizenship Act is an Act through which citizenship is given to people who fled persecution. For 70 years, they've been waiting, it's an Act which will give them citizenship so they can live a life of dignity. It has nothing to do with existing citizens of this country.
2 teenagers shot at in Kanpur
Md Awez (14), a resident of Begumpura, Kanpur, and Shadeb (14) of Choti Bajariya, were injured on their way back from the mosque. Awez said he was hit by a bullet in his abdomen, while Shadab was shot in his leg. "We were going home after the namaaz and were hit by bullet," said Awez.
JUST IN:
Curfew imposed in Gohalpur, Hanumantal and some parts of Kotwali, Adhartal police station limits in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur after violent protests against Citizenship Amendment Act.
Update:
Entry & exit gates at all metro stations, except Jama Masjid, Jaffrabad and Maujpur-Babarpur have been opened: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
JUST IN:
Curfew imposed in parts of Madhya Pradesh after protests against Citizenship Amendment Act, reports PTI. Schools would remain closed on Saturday as a precautionary measure, says District Collector Bharat Yadav.
BREAKING:
Six protesters were killed in violence across Uttar Pradesh during protests against CAA on Friday, the state police told NDTV. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh claims that none of the deaths have occurred due to police firing. “We did not fire a single bullet,” he says.
BREAKING:
Violence escalates in Uttar Pradesh, mob torches police station in Meerut.
DMRC Update:
Kashmere Gate metro station has been opened and people are allowed to enter Rajiv Chowk station.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's remark on Citizenship Act:
I totally condemn her statement. And it is irresponsible of a chief minister to talk like that.We never wanted a 3rd party or international fora's interference in our affairs. On a completely domestic matter she has chosen to ask for UN. Does she have no faith in institutions of India?
JUST IN:
“We used mild force and water cannon, didn’t lathi-charge protesters or lob tear-gas shells,” says Delhi Police on violence at Delhi Gate.
JUST IN:
Delhi Police Public Relations Officer MS Randhawa says many security personnel have been injured in the violence at Delhi Gate, reports PTI.Randhawa said some outsiders were involved in the violence and they have been detained.
Two dead in anti-CAA protests in UP's Meerut: Report
Two people were shot dead during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC protests in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, The Times of India reported on Friday evening.
On Friday afternoon, the district saw violence during protests, with heavy stone pelting in the Lisari Gate area, the report said. The report also said that there was an incident of arson followed by lathi charge in the district.
Nearly 500 people gather to protest in Bengaluru
"As darkness descends, students continue their protest" against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens in Karnataka's Bengaluru, with slogans and placards to register their protest against the contentious legislation, The Quint reported.
JUST IN:
Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa, held a meeting with senior police officers to discuss the law and order situation in the state.
Protests continue outside Jama Masjid, Connaught Place in Delhi
Protesters demonstrated against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Jama Masjid area of Delhi all through Friday, even as protests in areas like Daryaganj turned violent.
A protest was also held at Connaught Place in the National Capital.
Update from DMRC:
Following stations are currently closed — Central Secretariat, Chawri Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Delhi Gate, Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Khan Market, Janpath, Pragati Maidan, Mandi House, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Shiv Vihar, Johri Enclave.
Delhi Traffic Police:
Traffic movement is closed from Mandi House to ITO due to demonstration. Kindly avoid the stretch.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi:
In a democracy people have the right to raise their voice against wrong decisions & policies of the govt & register their concerns… BJP govt has shown utter disregard for people’s voices & chosen to use brute force to suppress dissent.
Anti-CAA protesters march from Seelampur to Jama Masjid barefoot
Protesters rallying against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) marched from Seelampur in Delhi to the Jama Masjid on Friday. Thousands of protesters marched barefoot with anti-NRC and anti-CAA placards and the National Flag. The police has removed barricades.
Internet services shut down in major cities in Uttar Pradesh, parts of West Bengal and Karnataka
In an unprecedented clampdown, internet services were suspended across major cities in Uttar Pradesh and a few sensitive ones in West Bengal and Karnataka as central and state governments doubled down on efforts to check the spread of rage against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Internet access over mobile phones was suspended in major towns in Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Agra, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Bareli, Firozadad, Pilibhit, Rampur, Saharanpur, Shamli, Sambhal, Amroha, Mau, Azamgarh and Sultanpur following explicit state government orders, telecom industry officials said.
Broadband internet services were also suspended in some cities, including Lucknow and Ghaziabad, PTI reported.
Update:
Hundreds of protesters joined a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act on Friday in Mumbai's Kurla (west).
Protests break out in Delhi's Seelampur again
A fresh protest took place in Delhi's Seelampur on Friday, reports said. The area had also seen violence following demonstrations against the Citizenship Act this week.
"A large number of people started a protest march from Jafrabad to Seelampur shoutin slogans and defying prohibitory orders after attending the Friday prayers at a mosque in the Welcome area," News18 reported.
Update:
Protests turned violent in Beed, Nanded and Parbhani districts of Maharashtra earlier in the day, as protestors pelted stones at state buses, PTI reports.
JUST IN:
Police asks media houses to move away theirOB vans after a vehicle was torched at Daryaganj in East Delhi.
JUST IN:
Vehicle parked in front of the DCP office in Daryaganj torched.
Update:
Mobile internet and broadband services to remain suspended in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district from 3 pm on Friday until further notice, reports ANI.
Update:
“The desire for revolution is in our hearts, we shall see how much strength lies in the arms of the enemy,” tweets Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad. “Hail the Constitution.”
Update:
Gujarat government has authorised Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Manoj Shashidhar to suspend telecom services if needed in the state, reports PTI.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray:
I appeal to people of the state to maintain peace amid protests against amendments to citizenship law. “The Maharashtra government will ensure that no one’s rights are snatched away,” he said in Nagpur.
JUST IN:
Chandrashekhar Azad defies police at Jama Masjid, escapes from detention
JUST IN:
RAF moves in with anti-riot vehicles in the national capital following the protests against CAA.
Home Ministry official:
State governments have no powers to reject implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act as legislation was enacted under Union List of Constitution's 7th Schedule, and National Population Register which is to be carried out next year.
JUST IN |
One person killed in Firozabad, where protests had turned violent earlier today.
Update from Delhi Metro:
Entry andexit gates of Rajiv Chowk, Pragati Maidan and Khan Market are closed. Interchange facility is available at Rajiv Chowk.
Entry andexit gates of Johri Enclave,Shiv Vihar, and Dilshad Gardenare also closed. Trains will not be halting at thesestations.
Update:
Stone pelting is being reported from Seemapuri and Shahadara districts in East Delhi. AddlDCP is reportedly injured in the stone pelting.
BREAKING |
The United States issues advisory for US nationals. Asks them to avoid Jamia, India Gate, and Jantar Mantar.
Update:
Allahabad High Court has sought response from the Centre andstate govt on closure of internet services in the state, as it is affecting the Court proceedings.
Update:
Drones have beendeployed by the police to monitor security situation in Lucknow. District Magistrate has said, "Situation is in control now. Internet services suspended; Cases have been registered after yesterday'sincident (violence during anti-CAA protests in Hazratganj). (ANI)
JUST IN | Gauhati High Court rejects Assam govt's review petition for internet suspension
Update:
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Internet Blockade: It is a decision taken by local administration on the basis of assessment of law and order situation.
Student protests are getting infiltrated by bad elements. The 59 parties, who have gone to the Supreme Court, should wait for court order and not foment violence further.
Mangalore, parts of Uttar Pradesh, where violence has happened are all trouble-prone areas. But overall, the situation in the country is not out of hand.
Law and order authorities should be given the freedom to decide what steps to be taken in the interest of maintaining law and order.
– CNN News18
