Daily Bulletin: Bhim Army chief detained amid anti-CAA protest; Chinese Foreign Minister arrives in India, will meet NSA Ajit Doval

CAA protests in Delhi: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad taken into police custody

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was taken into police custody from outside the Jama Masjid in the early hours on Saturday morning. He was inside the mosque in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

"We have to make a sacrifice so that the legislation is taken back. We do not support violence. We were sitting inside the mosque since Friday morning and our people were not involved in violence," he said.  Azad had given the Delhi Police a slip to reach the Jama Masjid on Friday.

Related Articles

New Parliament Building Inauguration: Entry, exit gates of two Delhi Metro stations closed

Shahabad Murder: Accused Sahil sent to judicial custody

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in India; to hold boundary talks with Ajit Doval

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in New Delhi on Friday to hold boundary talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval under the framework of Special Representatives dialogue. Wang and Doval will hold the 22nd round of boundary talks on Saturday.

File image of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi . ANI

It is the first high-level visit from China to India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held the second informal summit in Mamallapuram in October as well as after New Delhi pulled out of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

"The 22nd meeting of the Special Representatives (SR) for India-China boundary question will be held in New Delhi 21 December," the MEA said announcing Wang's visit.

Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives of the two countries for the boundary talks. Sources said the two sides are likely to review the implementation of decisions taken at the second informal summit between Modi and Xi in October.

Wang was to visit India for the SR talks in September but the trip was postponed then.

CAA stir: Journalist, 3 women social activists briefly detained in Lucknow, police denies

A journalist and three women social activists were allegedly detained here on Friday in connection with the ongoing protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, but police officials denied making any such detention.

Journalist Omar Rashid of The Hindu claimed he was sitting at a restaurant with his friends when police in plainclothes picked him up labelling him as a "rioter".

"I told them that I am a journalist, showed them my identity card, and asked why were they taking me with them. They took away my phone and hurled abuses too," Rashid told PTI.

He said one of his friends, Robin Verma, was also taken into custody at Hazratganj police station. and he (Verma) was allegedly beaten with a belt by police.

"The police told me that I had orchestrated the Thursday protest against the CAA in the city and I will be booked for conspiring the episode," Rashid said.

He said later, they were taken to Sultanpuri police post and released after the intervention of the UP DGP OP Singh.

The scribe said that Circle Officer Hazratganj Abhay Kumar Mishra later came to see him and apologised for the "mistake in identity". An official from Hazratganj police station denied any such detention.

RJD calls for Bihar bandh to protest against Citizenship Act

Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal has given call for a Bihar bandh on 21 December in protest against the amended Citizenship Act, alleging that it has blown the Constitution to smithereens.

Tejashwi Yadav, Prasad's younger son and heir apparent, made the announcement late on Friday night, urging all political and non-political outfits having "faith in the Constitution and the principle of justice" to take part in the bandh which was initially scheduled for 22 December but was later preponed so that the police recruitment exams next Sunday were not affected.

"The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is a black legislation that has blown the Constitution to smithereens. As a mark of protest, Rashtriya Janata Dal will organize a Bihar bandh on Sunday, 22 December.

Multiple anti-CAA protests planned across India today

In Patna, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has called for a bandh in Bihar against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Police and administration have been prepared to deal with any eventuality.

In Hyderabad, AIMIM has called for a protest in Hyderabad against CAA. The protest is expected to be held at 6 PM in Darussalam. Asaduddin Owaisi is expected to take part.

In Northeast, AASU has called for an all-women protest across Assam. The protest is likely to begin at 11 am.

In Mumbai, the Youth Congress is expected to carry out a protest rally in Andheri West against CAA. The protest is expected to start from 2 pm.

Protests are likely to resume in the National Capital in Jamia University on CAA. They are expected to begin around 11 am.

A protest has been called by students of Jadhavpur University against CAA in Kolkata. They are expected to march from Shaheed Minar in central Kolkata to BJP state HQ. The protest is expected to begin at 3 pm.

Schools, colleges in UP's Baghpat district to remain closed today as cold wave persists

Baghpat District School Inspector Om Dutt Singh said that all schools and colleges in the district will remain closed on Saturday due to cold wave conditions. "Due to intense cold wave, all schools and colleges in the district will remain closed on 21 December, Saturday," read an official order.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Friday stated that cold wave conditions are likely to prevail at isolated pockets over East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.

Earlier this week, the Uttar Pradesh government in a statement on Wednesday said that all the schools across the state will remain shut for the next two days due to cold wave.

With inputs from agencies