Citizenship Act protests LATEST Updates: Broadband internet services across Assam are likely to be restored on Tuesday morning, a few days after it was snapped when violent protests broke out in several districts against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Two men, who were apparently part of a demonstration by Jamia Millia Islamia students on Sunday, have been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital with "gunshot injury", PTI and NDTV reported on Monday.
The father of one of students, Sohaib Khan (23), was quoted by PTI as saying that his son was not part of the protest but was passing by when he was hit by a "pellet" on toe. "He underwent surgery last night and was shifted to a ward," Mohammad Arshad said.
Another student, 22-year-old Ajaz who also suffered gunshot injury on the chest apparently at the protest site, was also undergoing treatment at the Centre-run hospital.
Meanwhile. the Delhi Police categorically denied firing on the protesters during the clash.
Thousands of people gathered at the India Gate in Delhi on Monday evening to continue the protest against Delhi Police's action in the Jamia Millia Islamia university on Sunday. Showing their solidarity with the students, the protesters also read the preamble of the Constitution, and vowed to adhere to the secularism enshrined in it.
Scores of students from different universities across Delhi gathered at India Gate on Monday to demonstrate against the police crackdown on students at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh.
They raised slogans of "Delhi Police down down" and "Tanashahi nahi chalegi". Police had put up barricades to not allow students to reach the Amar Jawan Jyoti where an event to read the Preamble was scheduled to take place.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday led a Congress protest against Delhi Police action against Jamia Milia Islamia students on Sunday.
She said, "The government has given a blow to the Constitution. It's an attack on the soul of the nation, youth is the soul of the nation. It's their right to protest. I'm a mother too. You entered into their library, dragged them out and thrashed them up. This is tyranny."
"Every person in Congress will fight against this tyranny and stand with the students," she added.
She also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "his silence" on several issues. "Prime Minister should answer on what happened at the University yesterday, whose government beat up the students? He should speak on the sinking economy. His party MLA raped a girl, why hasn't he spoken on it?"
Protesters at the Mumbai University's Kalina campus on Monday raised slogans against the Citizenship Amendment Act and hailing the Constitution as 'strong'. They said, 'Samvidhaan humara bhaari hai.'
Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that those involved in the violence in Guwahati were not from the city but had come from lower Assam districts. ANI quoted Sarma and said, " The government will investigate whether they came to participate in the agitation or they were brought there by some kind of design. An official investigation team will be announced in a day or two."
Initial reports from Ahmedabad said that, at least, 50-60 students from various colleges were detained outside IIM-Ahmedabad. The students are currently near the University railway station and the police clarified they have been detained, not arrested and will be released soon.
MHA has issued an advisory to states and UTs that in view of incidences of violence and damage to public property being reported from some parts of the country, it is imperative that all required measures be taken to contain violence, ensure protection of life and safety of citizens and prevent damage of property, reports ANI.
"State governments and UT administrations have been requested to take requisite precautionary measures to maintain law and order, peace and public tranquility. They have also been requested to take action against circulation of fake news and rumours on social media having potential to incite violence."
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, AK Antony, PL Punia, Ahmed Patel and other Congress leaders stage a symbolic protest near India Gate over police action during students' protests in Jamia Millia Islamia (Delhi) and Aligarh Muslim University.
Protests have erupted in solidarity with students of Jamila Millia Islamnia and Aligarh Muslim University in different parts of the country. Protests were held in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged on Monday that a few people were paid by the BJP to perpetrate violence in the state, even as she blamed at some powers from outside West Bengal 'acting as friends' of the Muslim community for the vandalism and arson. The TMC supremo, who led a mega rally from Red Road to Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the residence of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in north Kolkata, vowed not to implement the amended Citizenship Act and the NRC in Bengal and dared the Centre to dismiss her government.
"There are some forces from outside the state, who are acting as friends of minorities and have indulged in this violence. These forces are stooges of the BJP, don't fall into their trap," Banerjee told party members.
Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa on Monday brief the media about the events that lead to the violence in Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday night. He said, 'Around 4:30 pm some protesters went towards Mata Mandir marg and set a bus on fire.' He also said that no casualties had taken place and neither did any firing. 'Delhi police used minimum force, our staff didn't have arms at that time,' he said.
He further appealed to students to not believe in rumours. "There are a lot of rumours going around over this incident (violence near Jamia), I appeal to everyone especially students to not believe in rumours. Action will be taken against whoever is involved in this incident," he said.
In his first reactions to Jamia violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for the country to 'work together' for the development of India and the empowerment of 'every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised.' He further stated that the country 'cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance'.
All Assam Students' Union (AASU) leaders Samujjal Bhattacharya, Lurinjyoti Gogoi taken into police custody along with over 100 protestors during rally in Guwahati against citizenship law, officials told PTI on Monday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit the streets of Kolkata on Monday along with thousands of partymen and vowed not to allow the proposed country-wide NRC and the amended Citizenship Act in West Bengal.
The TMC supremo began the protest march from Red Road in heart of the city, and it is set to culminate at Jorasakho Thakur Bari, the residence of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in north Kolkata, around 4 km away.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that citizens should be wary of “jihadists, Maoists and separatists” getting into student activism. Sitharaman, however, said that she was not aware of the events at New Delhi's Jamia Milia Islamia University over the weekend. Hitting out at the Congress, the student-activist turned politician said whipping up people's emotions on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) only shows the opposition party's frustration.
She also said that activism per se is not new to universities and attributed the same to “idealism” that guides a student because of his/her age.
Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Najma Akhtar brief media on Monday over Sunday violence. She stated that an FIR would be filed against the entry of Delhi Police the university campus. "You can rebuild the property but you cannot compensate for the things the students went through. We demand a high-level inquiry," she said. She also appealed to the media and people to not believe in rumours. "Yesterday's incident was unfortunate. I also appeal to everyone to not believe in any kind of rumours"
A group of Jamia Millia students stood shirtless in the bone-chilling cold outside the university gates on Monday and formed a human chain to protest the police action against their colleagues a day earlier. Slogans of 'Inquilab Zindabad' rent the air as the group of around 10 students, accompanied by their fellow colleagues, took out a small march, demanding a CBI inquiry into the 'police brutality'.
The protesting students said a meeting will take place around 12 pm to chart out the future course of action.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has challenged the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Supreme Court and his plea will be heard on Wednesday. Ramesh has challenged the new law in his personal capacity. He had filed the petition on 13 December. "Given the urgent situation that has developed around the rushed and insidious Citizenship Amendment Act, I approached the Hon'ble Supreme Court to hear my matter urgently."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to microblogging site Twitter to express solidarity with the students protesting peacefully against Citizenship Act and NRC. He slammed the BJP-led Centre by calling the CAA and NRC as 'weapons of mass polarisation' which were 'unleashed by fascist of India'.
CJI SA Bobde on Monday said that the Supreme Court 'won't be bullied and can't be held to ransom while public properties are destroyed'.The apex court further added that just because the students can't take law in their own hands. The top court agreed to hear the matter tomorrow if no violent protests further take place. Bobde said, 'the only thing we want is that rioting must stop.'
Delhi Police filed two FIRs, citing charges of rioting and damage to property, in the case of the clashes between cops and protesters at Jamia Millia Islamia University, reported CNN-News18. Internet services will be suspended for another 24 hours in 10 districts of Assam.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Ramesh Chennithala led a joint protest against the amended Citizenship Act. Vijayan will be a part of the joint LDF-UDF protest being held at Thiruvananthapuram's Palayam.
Students and alumni of the Jamia Millia Islamia University issued a statement condemning the police actions within the varsity campus amid protests against the Citizenship Act. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader said that only an undivided India can progress, blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for dividing India for political gains.
The situation in Jamia Millia Islamia, which witnessed protests against the amended Citizenship Act, remained tense on Monday morning and many students decided to leave for their homes, sources said. According to sources, the situation continues to be tense with many women students preferring to leave the campus for their homes. Many students feel they are not safe even inside the campus.
Internet services remained suspended in six districts of state: Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and parts of South 24 Parganas districts, where agitation over the amended Act have brought life to a halt. On Sunday night, the officer in-charge of Uluberia police station, along with a few other police personnel, sustained injuries after they were attacked by the agitators.
Protests over the amended Citizenship Act continued in Bengal for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with incidents of road and rail blockades reported from various parts of the state, officials said. In East Midnapore and Murshidabad districts, the agitators blocked thoroughfares since morning, inconveniencing hundreds of commuters, they said. Several trains have been cancelled or delayed due to the ongoing protest.
DMK chief M K Stalin on Sunday expressed concern over the violence in Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University during protests against the Citizenship Amendment) Act and said the Centre should reconsider it. Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the Modi government on Sunday of being "cowardly" as it feared to hear the voice of people and was making its presence felt through "oppression" on students and journalists.
The entry and exit gates of all metro stations were opened and services had resumed at all stations, the DMRC said on Monday. In the wake of violence in southeast Delhi after a protest against the amended Citizenship Act, the Delhi Metro Rail corporation (DMRC) closed the gates of around 13 metro stations on Sunday evening, following advice from the police. The students of Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University, who were detained by the Delhi Police after a protest march against the citizenship law on Sunday night, have received a strong backing from the university's Vice- Chancellor.
As many as 50 students, who were detained during protests at the Jamia Millia University here on Sunday, were released in the early hours of Monday, police said. Of the 50 students, 35 were released from the Kalkaji police station and 15 from the New Friends Colony police station, a senior police officer said.
The Jamia Milia Islamia University campus in Delhi turned into a virtual war zone on Sunday evening, after violence was reported from a protest march against the Citizenship Amendment Act. In unprecedented scenes, police opened fire in the air, hurled smoke bombs and lathi-charged students. The Delhi Police, on its part, claimed that its actions were aimed at controlling the violence.
"Thirty-five students brought to Delhi's Holy Family Hospital with injuries, 11 admitted," sources told PTI. Earlier, students had claimed that the police entered the Jamia campus and resorted to lathi-charge.
Even as the Delhi Police claimed that seven of its personnel had been injured and that the police had entered the campus only to control the situation, Jamia V-C Najma Akhtar condemned the use of force and said that the students had nothing to do with the violence during the protest.
A political science student at the Jamia Milia Islamia University, who did not wish to be named told Firstpost, "We had all gathered in the library. Later, about 200-250 police personnel entered the library. They hurled smoke bombs and beat us with batons. We tried to protect the female students. On this, some police personnel hurled abuses at us, referring to us as 'mullahs' and telling us to go to Pakistan."
Following reports that the police had entered the Jamia campus, the chief proctor of the university told ANI that police had entered forcefully and were beating up staff and students.
Soon after the violence in South Delhi during a protest against the amended Citizenship Act, police entered the Jamia Millia Islamia campus and blocked the university gates to nab some "outsiders" who had entered the premises to hide, sources said.
Fire tenders douse fire set on a bus during protests against the Citizenship Act protesters at Mathura Road in New Delhi. PTI
Both the Jamia Millia students' community as well as the Teachers' Association have disassociated themselves with the violence and arson that took place near the university Sunday afternoon.
Escorted by police, youths could be seen coming out of their hostels with their hands raised. Some of them claimed the police also entered the library and "harassed" the students.
There was a heavy deployment of police in and around the campus. "The Delhi Police has gheraoed Jamia students in the library. We do not subscribe to the bus burning incident which happened but those who did it were not from the varsity but outsiders. Innocent students are being targeted," claimed a student who did not wish to be named.
Some others alleged that students have been detained by the police, but there was no confirmation from the Delhi Police, which said they were focusing on bringing the situation under control.
Three public buses and a fire tender were set afire by the protesters during the violence and arson in New Friends' Colony. The students claimed that "certain" local elements had "disrupted" their protest and indulged in violence.
The sources said that as police tried to disperse the protesters by using baton change and firing teargas shells, some of the "outsiders" ran towards the campus and tried to hide there. The police personnel entered the campus and blocked the gates to nab these miscreants, they said.
Delhi Police personnel were also seen escorting their injured colleagues to safety as burnt tyres, buses and shards of glasses littered the street around them.
