Citizenship Amendment Act protests Updates: 'Has the Shiv Sena govt lost its head?' says Devendra Fadnavis at pro-CAA rally in Mumbai

Muslims in UP’s Bulandshahr pay Rs 6.3 lakh  to district administration, says report

According to News18, members of the Muslim community in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh handed over a demand draft of Rs 6,27,507 to the district administration on Friday. The report said that members of the community met District Magistrate Ravinder Kumar and SSP Santosh Kumar and handed over the demand draft.

Kumar told News18 that government vehicles and other property was damaged by the crowd last Friday when protests against CAA turned violent.

According to PTI, the administration has sent notices to 372 people in different districts in Uttar Pradesh to recover damages caused to public assets during the protests.

Two senior cops in MP’s Jabalpur transferred over violence during anti-CAA protests

Jabalpur: Two senior Jabalpur police officials were transferred by the Madhya Pradesh Home department in connection with the violence that took place there on 20 December during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, officials said on Friday.

The state chief of a lesser-known political outfit was also booked for the violence, police said.

Jabalpur Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Rajesh Kumar Tripathi and City Superintendent of Police (Gohalpur) Devesh Kumar Pathak were transferred by the state Home department to the police headquarters in capital Bhopal, an official said.

Areas under four police stations, namely Gohalpur, Hanumantal, Kotwali and Adhartal, witnessed violence during the anti-CAA protests on December 20, after which curfew was imposed for a few days.

— PTI

‘Modi lying about detention centre, sanctioned Rs 46 cr for one in Assam in 2018,’ says Tarun Gogoi

Guwahati: Senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi on Friday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “liar” for saying that there is no detention camp in the country and claimed that the BJP-led government at the Centre had sanctioned Rs 46 crore for one in Assam’s Goalpara district.

“Modi is a liar”, Gogoi said, adding, “In 2018 the Narendra Modi government had sanctioned Rs 46 crore for constructing the largest detention centre at Matia in Goalpara district of Assam for housing 3,000 illegal immigrants. Suddenly he says there is no detention camp,” Gogoi said.

“Why did the BJP government in 2018 sanction Rs 46 crore? This shows Modi is a liar”, Gogoi asserted.

Gogoi said the Congress government in Assam he had headed had set up detention camps in the state as per a Gauhati High Court order.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had suggested setting up detention camps for illegal immigrants, he said.

— PT

People gather at Delhi’s Jama Masjid to demonstrate against CAA

Braving cold weather, several people gathered outside the iconic Jama Masjid in Old Delhi on Friday to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Congress leader Alka Lamba and former Delhi MLA Shoaib Iqbal were among those who joined the demonstrations.

Lamba hit out at the BJP government saying “unemployment is the real issue in the county, but you (PM) are trying to put people in a queue for NRC, as it was done during demonetisation”.

— PTI

CAA protests: Akhilesh Yadav meets UP governor to seek justice for people ‘framed in fake cases’

Lucknow: A delegation of the Samajwadi Party led by its national president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday met Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, demanding justice for “innocent people framed in fake cases” during peaceful and democratic anti-CAA protests.

“Fake cases were lodged against innocent people during peaceful and democratic anti-CAA protests on December 19. Two dozen persons were killed. Women were humiliated by police after entering their houses. Houses were ransacked and atrocities are on,” the SP delegation alleged in a memorandum to Patel.

Officially, the toll in violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act has been put at 19.

He said for ensuring human rights, a probe should be ordered against policemen and help should be extended to victims’ families.

— PTI

Left Front, Congress take out joint rally against CAA in Kolkata

Kolkata: The opposition Left Front and Congress Friday took out a joint rally in the city to protest against the contentious amended Citizenship Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens.

The rally was led by West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra and senior Left Front leaders from Subodh Mullick Square to Mahajati Sadan in central Kolkata.

Carrying posters and placards against BJP-led government at the Centre, Congress and Left Front activists shouted slogans against bringing in the ‘divisive’ Citizenship Amendment Act.

“Our message is very clear that only the Congress and Left can fight against BJP. Only we can put up a mass movement against the communal BJP government,” Mitra said.

The issue of CAA has been a major flashpoint in Bengal politics with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declaring that it will not be implemented in the state.

The state had witnessed violent protests and arson against the CAA and the proposed nationwide implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) earlier this month.

— PTI

Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station closed in view of protests, reopened

Entry and exit gates at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station were closed on Friday for over an hour in view of protest marches being taken out near it in the city have reopened, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) tweeted.

Police on Friday detained a group of protesters who tried to stage a demonstration outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan in Chanakayapuri area against alleged police atrocities in the state following the agitation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

The Jamia Coordination Committee, which comprises students from various political groups active on the campus, had called for a “gherao” of the UP Bhawan.

The gates were reopened after over an hour in the evening.

“All entry & exit gates of Lok Kalyan Marg are open. Normal service has resumed,” the DMRC tweeted later. 

— PTI

BJP supporters carry Savarkar, Ambedkar posters at pro-CAA protests

At August Kranti Maidan rally, organised by BJP’s ​Sanvidan Sanman Manch’, supporters of CAA were seen carrying national flags along with placards with pro-CAA and NRC messages and shouting slogans. 

They were also carrying photographs of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Big photographs of VD Savarkar, Mahatama Jyotiba Fule, Bharatmata and Shahu Maharaj were displayed on stage. The Sanvidan Sanman Manch’ is organising such rallies in various parts of the city. One such rally in support of CAA and NRC was organised at Dadar last week.

Muslims are Indians by choice, not chance, says Umar Khalid

Speaking at the anti-CAA protest rally, Umar Khalid said, “They say that NPR was the UPA’s policy but we have to understand that the NPR that the UPA had proposed and the one this govt is bringing are as different as night and day. That NPR was being brought as part of the Census, this is being brought under the CAA. The NPR is the first step before they move to leave people out of the NRC and then CAA. Please understand this.”

“We (Muslims) are not Indians by chance, we are Indians by choice. Jinnah is not and never was our leader, Gandhi is our leader,” Khalid added.

Over 1,200 Arrested in UP

Addressing a press briefing, the Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh said, “The Friday prayers were peaceful across UP.” A press release issued by the UP Police said that at least 372 complaints were registered against those involved in protests against the Citizenship law, based on which 1,246 people have been arrested since 10 December 2019.

Umar Khalid speaks at anti-CAA protests in Mumbai, says reports of atrocities​ from UP horrifying

Umar Khalid spoke at the Mumbai protest against the CAA. He said, “I want to salute the spirit of Mumbai. People say Mumbai is not interested in politics, that they are busy with work, busy with their lives. Now Mumbai has shown the country that they work also, and they fight for the Constitution also.”

“They are using lies to mislead people. Modi at Ramlila Maidan says no mention of NRC, whereas Amit Shah spoke in both Houses about the govt’s committment to implement NRC. So what do we believe? Who is lying?,” he added.

Four detained in Gwalior during anti-CAA protest

Four persons were taken in custody during a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) here on Friday, the police said. Additional Superintendent of Police Satyendra Tomar said some people gathered in Fulbagh Square in the afternoon, holding banners and placards against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens without a permission for holding a protest.

PTI

Prakash Javadekar hits back on Rahul Gandhi for his ‘NPR tax on poor’ remark 

आज राहुल ने कहा कि NPR गरीब पर TAX है।

NPR तो जनसंख्या रजिस्टर है, लोगों की जानकारी जो लोग देते हैं वो इसमें इकट्ठा करके रखते हैं, इसमें TAX कहां से आया?

TAX कांग्रेस का कल्चर है- जयंती टैक्स, कोयला टैक्स, 2G टैक्स, जीजा जी टैक्स@RahulGandhi @INCIndia pic.twitter.com/W85KrIZYqv

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) December 27, 2019

CAA does not strip any Indian of citizenship: Fadnavis

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act does not take away

the citizenship of any Indian national. The BJP is creating awareness among people that the the Act intends to help the minorities from neighbouring countries who have faced religious persecution, he said.

Indian students in Israel protest against CAA, NRC in front of Indian embassy

About two dozen Indian students from various research institutes in Israel staged a silent protest in front of the Indian embassy here on Friday against the amended citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens, terming them acts of “state-sponsored instrument of class and religious persecution”.

According to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution there will get Indian citizenship.

Protests are being held across India ever since the citizenship bill was introduced in Parliament earlier this month. The bill was passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President.

Congress promoting violence in country, says Ram Madhav 

“The Congress party is involved in the promotion of violence in the country,” Madhav said. Criticising opposition parties, particularly the Congress, for targeting police, he said the grand old party should fight the BJP politically, instead of targeting the wings of the government, especially the police. Taking on the Congress on the NPR issue, Madhav said, “The NPR is the baby of the (Congress-led) UPA. It was first initiated when the UPA was in power. The first card was issued by the UPA government.” He said the NPR was a routine exercise undertaken by the government.

Devendra Fadnavis attends pro-CAA rally in August Kranti maidan 

Reached August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai and joined the massive gathering of citizens to support the #CitizenshipAmendmentAct !#MumbaiSupportsCAA #IndiaSupportsCAA pic.twitter.com/XLCRJ4dz0g

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) December 27, 2019

Momentary disturbance at Mumbai rally; organisers urge police to take care of those trying to vitiate peaceful protests

Momentary disturbance at the protest as some groups raise slogans, organisers call for ‘miscreants, sabotagers’ be ignored and order be restored. “They are trying to test us, to provoke us. But when we remain calm and peaceful, we have won,” the organisers appeal from the stage. 

“If you see anyone causing problems, please bring it to the volunteers’ notice, they will handle it. I also appeal to the police to come here and take the trouble-makers away,” they said 

Momentary disturbance at #Mumbai rally; organisers urge police to take care of those trying to vitiate peaceful protests
| Follow #LIVE updates on #CAA_NRCProtests https://t.co/f5dSuPYFbo pic.twitter.com/74WlAbYPUl

— Firstpost (@firstpost) December 27, 2019

Congress misleading people, CAA has no provision to take away citizenship, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Friday hit out at the opposition Congress, accusing the party of misleading people over the amended Citizenship Act.  He also clarified that the legislation had no provision to take away citizenship.

“The Congress and company is spreading rumours that Muslims may lose their citizenship,” said Shah during at rally at the historic Ridge Maidan here to mark the second anniversary of BJP government in the state. “I challenge Rahul Baba that let me know if there is even a single line in the Act regarding the withdrawal of anyone’s citizenship. Don’t misguide and divide people over the CAA,” he added.

Mumbai protesters raise ‘hail India, hail Constitution’ slogans

#MumbaiAgainstCAA protesters raise Jai Samvidhan jai bharat slogans at Azad Maidan | Follow #LIVE updates on #CAA_NRCProtests https://t.co/f5dSuPYFbo pic.twitter.com/U9YXFgzHJ5

— Firstpost (@firstpost) December 27, 2019

Friday prayers pass off peacefully in UP: DGP OP Singh

Friday prayers passed off peacefully in Uttar Pradesh amid tight security arrangements put in place after last week’s violence by anti-citizenship law protestors. “The entire state was peaceful,” Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh said. He said there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state. The state was placed under a thick security cover with the deployment of central paramilitary forces in sensitive areas. Drones were used to keep a hawk-eyed vigil, especially in areas where violence had broken out last week after Friday prayers. Internet services were suspended to check rumour-mongering.

BJP likely to organise meet in Jan to address concerns of Muslims on citizenship issues

The BJP is likely to organise a national-level conference in January to reach out to Muslims and counter the opposition’s campaign on citizenship issues in the community, sources said on Friday. They said senior BJP leader and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday held a meeting, which was attended by National Commission for Minorities chairman Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi and some key Muslim BJP leaders, to chalk out a strategy in this regard.

Norwegian national asked to leave India for violating visa

A Norwegian woman tourist has been asked to leave the country after she was found to have participated in an anti-CAA protest here early this week, violating visa norms, a senior official said here on Friday. “Our enquiry found that she has violated visa norms and so she was asked to go back,” Anoop Krishnan, Officer in the Foreigners Regional Registration Office told PTI.

The FRRO, under the Union Home Ministry, had said that it was probing the matter after it came to know through the social media that the Norwegian woman allegedly participated in the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act on 23 December. 

CAA will not be implemented in Bengal as long as I am alive, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister ​Mamata Banerjee Friday said that as long as she is alive the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will not be implemented in Bengal. None can snatch away the rights of the people of the country, like citizenship, the Trinamool Congress supremo said at a programme here.

Mumbai protester highlights problems NRC will create for tribals, transgender people

Another speaker talks about the struggle Adivasi and transgender communities would also face in proving their citizenship. “A large section of Adivasis in Jharkhand believe in the ‘sarna’, which is a type of animism. How will they get included under CAA if they don’t have documents? What about members of the transgender community, who are forced to leave homes at a very young age. How will they get the documents?”

Uttar Pradesh sees massive security arrangements in view of Friday prayers

The state was placed under a thick security cover with deployment of central paramilitary forces in sensitive areas. Drones were used to keep a hawk-eyed vigil, especially in areas where violence had broken out last week after Friday prayers. Internet services were suspended to check rumour-mongering in at least 6 western UP towns, while some reports put the number at 25.

Massive protest underway in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan 

A massive protest against the amended Citizenship law is being held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. 

Left, Congress hold joint protest against CAA in Kolkata 

The Congress and Left Parties held a joint protest in West Bengal’s Kolakata to protest against NRC and CAA. 

The opposition Left Front and Congress Friday took out a joint rally in the city to protest against the contentious amended Citizenship Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens.

The rally was led by West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra and senior Left Front leaders from Subodh Mullick Square to Mahajati Sadan in central Kolkata. Carrying posters and placards against BJP-led government at the Centre, Congress and LF activists shouted slogans against bringing in the ‘divisive’ Citizenship Amendment Act.

Jamia student at Mumbai protests lauds Uddhav Thackeray, Mumbai Police for allowing peaceful demonstrations

Student activist from Jama Milia Islamia, Hamad, speaks at the protest. “The way the Delhi Police has acted proves that it’s not a fight between Hindus and Muslims, we musn’t give it a communal colour because that’s what they want. It’s a fight between the aware and the ignorant. It’s a fight for all communities to assert their right to live as per their choice of religion.” 

“Inclusiveness is our identity. Institutions like JNU, JMI, AMU, BHU, who are fighting this majoritarian regime, are being targetted first.”

He also lauds the Mumbai Police and the Uddhav Thackeray govt for their cooperation. “When I was leaving from Jamia, some friends said to thank the Mumbai Police on their behalf also, because they have cooperated,” he said.

BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia caught on cam instigating violence 

Mrinal Saikia, a BJP MLA from Khumtai in Upper Assam, allegedly incited his followers to violence in the wake of the protests across the length of Assam, InsideNE reported. Addressing his followers at Chabua in Dibrugarh, a site of massive protests against the Bill-turned-Act, Mrinal Saikia thundered, “The BJP has become strong, you can be strong too. You all just have to come out…have tolerated enough. If someone comes to burn your house, you also burn down their houses. If they touch one worker of ours, do the same with 10 of their workers.”

Lok Kalyan Marg metro station shut off amid protests near PM’s residence

CNN-News18 reported that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has shut off all the entry and exit gates of the Lok Kalyan Marg metro station after protesters tried to march towards the prime minister’s residence.

Protesters marching towards PM’s residence stopped by police

Hundreds of people with their hands tied marching towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence to demand the release of Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad and to protest the amended Citizenship Act were stopped in the way by police on Friday.

Amid heavy security arrangement and drone surveillance, the protesters including Bhim Army members started from Dargah Shah-e-Mardan in Jor Bagh in the national capital and were stopped by police at a barricade en route the PM’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.

They participated in the march with their hands tied, saying they did it so that they could not be blamed for violence and arson during the protest. They raised slogans of ‘Tanashahi nahi chalegi’ and carried posters of Babasheb Ambedkar and Aazad.

Protesters detained outside UP Bhawan

Police on Friday detained a group of protesters who tried to stage a demonstration outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan against alleged police atrocities in the state following the agitation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.  The Jamia Coordination Committee, which comprises students from various political groups active on the campus, had called for a “gherao” of the UP Bhawan. There was heavy security deployment outside the venue. As soon as some protesters arrived, they were detained and taken to the Mandir Marg police station.

Muslims take out protest march against CAA, burn Ajmer dargah deewan’s effigy

Large number of Muslims, including khadims of the Ajmer dargah, took out a protest march against the amended Citizenship Act here on Friday, demanding a rollback of the controversial law.

They also burnt an effigy of Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, the spiritual head of the dargah, accusing him of misleading Muslims on the issue of the amended Citizenship Act.

“The Centre should repeal the Act, which is an attack on the Preamble of the Constitution. The government should also say that the NRC (National Register of Citizens) will not be implemented (countrywide),” Sarwar Chisty, a khadim of the dargah, said.

Slogans such as “long live communal harmony” were raised by the protesters. The march started from the dargah and concluded at the collectorate, after passing through the crowded dargah bazaar.