Protests by students and civilians against the Citizenship Amendment Act and police crackdown on Jamia university raged across the country on Monday, 16 December, with reports of clashes between protesters and police, arrests, detentions and curfews coming in from various parts of the country.
While at least 354 people were arrested across West Bengal, 21 were arrested in connection with the clashes at Aligarh Muslim University. Meanwhile, internet crackdown in Assam and curfew in Guwahati will be lifted on Tuesday.
Earlier, protesters allegedly torched 15 vehicles in UP's Mau, prompting police to fire in air. Section 144 has been imposed in the district.
As Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Opposition of “misleading people”over the Act, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi staged a sit-in Dharna at Delhi’s India Gate, which was thronged by anti-CAA protesters.
- PM Modi tweeted saying debate and dissent are essential in a democracy, but “never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos”
- Delhi Police, a day after action against Jamia students denied firing at them
- Jamia officials claimed that Delhi Police forcefully entered Jamia campus ‘forcefully’
- Protests are being held in universities across the country in the wake of the unrest in Jamia
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'Urge India to Protect Rights of Religious Minorities: US State Department to India
We are closely following developments regarding CAA. We urge authorities to protect and respect the right of peaceful assembly. We also urge protestors to refrain from violence. Respect for religious freedom&equal treatment under the law are fundamental principles of our two democracies. United States urges India to protect rights of its religious minorities in keeping with India’s Constitution&democratic values.Spokesperson of US State Department to ANI
Eastern Railway Cancels 20 Trains
Twenty trains have been cancelled while three were short-terminated, in view of the ongoing agitation and law and order problem on Krishnanagar–Lalgola section of Sealdah Division,New Farakka-Azimganj section of Malda Division of Eastern Railway and in NF Railway system.
Lucknow Students Clash With CAA Over CAA, Police Action on Jamia
The stir against the amended Citizenship Act singed Lucknow on Monday with students of an Islamic seminary and a private university staging protests and confronting police a day after their AMU and Jamia counterparts clashing with men in khaki.
While the students of Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema resorted to stone pelting at police and faced baton-charge by them, the private varsity, Integral University's students held a “peaceful protest” against the amended law, that seeks to give Indian citizenship to non-Muslims, persecuted in three neighbouring countries.
Following the threat to peace and law and order situation, both institutes were closed down by authorities for several days.