Citizenship Act Protests LIVE: Silent protest at press area against CAA, Jamia police action

Hundreds of concerned citizens including women on Tuesday evening held silent protest at Shaheedi Park near press area on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.

Former Congress MLA Asif Khan has been named as an accused in the FIR for his alleged involvement in Jamia Millia Islamia incident that took place on December 15.

Police in Gujarat's Vadodra on Tuesday arrested five students for allegedly making "objectionable" graffiti against the Constitutional Amendment Act.

The police said the accused were found to have no links with any political party.

A total 21 people including 12 Delhi police and three Rapid Action Force personnel have been injured in the Seelampur incident on Tuesday, Joint Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar has said.

The mob also damaged two police booths, two public transport buses, one RAF bus and some bikes.

He said that five persons have been detained and that police did not resort to lathicharge and only used tear gas shells. Situation is under control now, Kumar said.

The Chennai Police has entered the Madras University as students there are protesting against the divisive Citizenship Act

Expressing solidarity with the Jamia Millia Islamia students, activists of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Tuesday evening took out a torchlight procession from RP road to India Gate in New Delhi.

The "brutal" use of force by police against Jamia students is an attack on their human rights and freedom of expression. The Youth Congress condemns it and joins them in their opposition to the amended Citizenship Act, said IYC president Srinivas B V.

Traffic movement between Daryaganj and Rajghat here was closed due to a demonstration, police said.

"Traffic movement is closed from Daryaganj to Raj Ghat (both carriageways) due to demonstration. Traffic is diverted from Delhi Gate, Nishad Raj Marg, ITO towards Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.

Delhi's Saket court has sent all the six accused arretsed in connection with the south Delhi violence near Jamia Millia Islamia to 14-day judicial custody.

A delegation of Opposition leaders led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind and gave him a memorandum against the Citizenship Amendment Act and brutal police action on students.

After meeting the President, Sonia Gandhi told mediapersons: “We are anguished at the way the police has dealt with protests...the way police entered Jamia campus and dragged women students out. Demonstration is their democratic right.”

Leaders of some opposition parties led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday met President Ram Nath Kovind over the police action in Jamia Millia Islamia here.

The opposition has demanded a judicial probe into Sunday's police action against Jamia students.

The opposition leaders had on Monday said they would lodge their protest with the president against the government over the police action and the amendments to the citizenship law.

Angry protesters demanding scrapping of the amended citizenship law torched several motor bikes, pelted stones at police and damaged public buses in Northeast Delhi's Seelampur area on Tuesday, in fresh violence in the national capital.

Police resorted to baton charges and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

Plumes of smoke billowed from at least two localities.

Police said two bikes of traffic cops were burnt by the demonstrators, adding a police booth in the area was damaged.

A large number of policemen were deployed following the violence.

Police said the protesters were marching from Seelampur towards Jafrabad.

Clashes erupted between police and protesters at Seelampur Chowk when the security personnel tried to stop them from moving ahead.

According to a senior police officer, the protest began at around 12 pm. The protesters raised slogans against the new law as well as the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The clashes erupted two days after violence broke out during a protest in the New Friends area in South Delhi near Jamia Millia Islamia.

Delhi Metro has shut the entry and exit gates at six Metro stations in north-east Delhi and announced on Tuesday that trains will not be halting at these stations.

On Tuesday afternoon, Metro Rail Services at Welcome, Seelampur, Gokulpuri, Jaffrabad and Maujpur-Babarpur, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar were suspended after protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) turned violent in north-east Delhi.

The services at these metro stations were suspended as violent protests erupted in Seelampur over the CAA.

Tuesday's violence follows in the wake of protests at Jamia Nagar where the protestors turned violent and set several buses on fire.

Entry & exit gates of Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar are closed. Trains will not be halting at these stations, tweets Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

Police take away protesters from the spot where a clash broke out between police and protesters, during protest against Citizenship Amendment Act on Tuesday. Police has also used tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

Police use a drone to monitor the situation in Jafrabad area where a clash broke out between police and protesters, during protest against Citizenship Act

Police use tear gas shells to disperse the protesters after a clash broke out between police and protesters in Jafrabad area, during protest against Citizenship Amendment Act. Protesters also pelted stones during the protest. Two buses have been vandalised.

Traffic movement has been closed on 66 feet road from Seelampur to Jafrabad (both carriageways) due to demonstration against Citizenship Amendment Act

Entry & exit gates of Welcome, Jaffrabad and Maujpur-Babarpur, Seelampur and Gokulpuri are closed. Trains won't be halting at these stations.

What happened at Jamia Millia Islamia, is like Jallianwala Bagh. Students are like a 'Yuva bomb'. So we request the central government to not do, what they are doing, with students, says Uddhav Thackeray

Terming the ongoing violence and arson in the state over the citizenship law as a "few minor incidents", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said just because the BJP has requisite numbers in Parliament, it cannot bully the states into enforcing the law.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said at a Jharkhand rally that the "protesters could be identified by their clothes", she asserted that "miscreants cannot be differentiated on the basis of their attire".

Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, claimed that the Centre has stopped railway services in the state over "one or two minor incidents" of violence.

"Owing to one or two small incidents, the Centre has stopped railways services in Bengal. It is the duty of the Railway Protection Force personnel to protect railway property, yet we provided them support.

"We have arrested more than 600 people (for creating trouble). I would request the railways and the central government to resume services," she said here at a protest rally over the amended Citizenship Act.

Condemning the violence at Jamia Millia University in Delhi, the CM said the "torture meted out to the students at the varsity was unprecedented".

Alleging that the BJP was instigating violence in the country, she said the Citizenship (Amemdment) Bill was passed in a hurry in Parliament.

"The BJP didn't give opposition parties time to think and discuss the bill. It sought its passage in a hurry," she added.

Terming the ongoing violence and arson in the state over the citizenship law as a "few minor incidents", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said just because the BJP has requisite numbers in Parliament, it cannot bully the states into enforcing the law.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said at a Jharkhand rally that the "protesters could be identified by their clothes", she asserted that "miscreants cannot be differentiated on the basis of their attire".

Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, claimed that the Centre has stopped railway services in the state over "one or two minor incidents" of violence.

"Owing to one or two small incidents, the Centre has stopped railways services in Bengal. It is the duty of the Railway Protection Force personnel to protect railway property, yet we provided them support.

"We have arrested more than 600 people (for creating trouble). I would request the railways and the central government to resume services," she said here at a protest rally over the amended Citizenship Act.

Condemning the violence at Jamia Millia University in Delhi, the CM said the "torture meted out to the students at the varsity was unprecedented".

Alleging that the BJP was instigating violence in the country, she said the Citizenship (Amemdment) Bill was passed in a hurry in Parliament.

"The BJP didn't give opposition parties time to think and discuss the bill. It sought its passage in a hurry," she added.

"Barbaric" beatings, abuse and humiliation were perpetrated on students by the police during their crackdown on those protesting against the citizenship law on Sunday in Jamia Millia Islamia, alleged injured students and activists on Tuesday.

The university had turned into a battlefield on Sunday as police entered the campus and also used force, following protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, that led to violence and arson in which four DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes were damaged.

For Mohammad Mustafa, an MBA student in Jamia, who recalled the "beatings" he received at the hands of the police said that he was studying in the library along with 25 others, including around 10-12 girls.

"I was beaten mercilessly and I fell unconscious. I was taken to New Friends Colony police station, they made us sit on the cold floor. I was not given any treatment although I felt like I was going to die," Mustafa alleged as he spoke to the media.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee leads protest march from Jadavpur to Jadu Babu's Bazar. The CM says, "Our slogan is 'No CAB, No NRC in Bengal' ".

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said high courts should be approached first on pleas alleging police atrocities on persons protesting against the amended Citizenship Act.

The court also asked as to how buses were burnt during the protests.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde commenced hearing on pleas including that of Alumni Association Jamia Millia Islamia University.

"We don't want to spend time knowing facts, you should go to courts below first," said the bench.

Indira Jaising appearing for students says "It's established law that universities are not a place where police can enter without permission of VC. 1 person lost eyesight. Legs of some students were broken. Solicitor General, T Mehta replies, "not a single student lost eyesight".

Indira Jaising said, It is a cross state issue & needs a fact finding SIT. How can the court wash its hands of the issue. Court heard Telangana encounter case. We are asking for a similar order.

Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde to advocates of students who are urging to let this matter be heard by SC: The Telangana encounter case could be looked into by appointing a commission but in this case there is no committee that can look into it all over the country.

Supreme Court directs the petitioners to approach the High Courts within whose jurisdiction the incidents have occurred. The Supreme Court says that the High Court may appoint former Judges of the Supreme Court to conduct inquiry after hearing the Union of India and the concerned State Government also.

"we are confident that appropriate inquires will be made, says SC

Counsel tells the Court that with the passage of the CAA 2019 there was discontent across the country. This Act was tried to be painted as Anti Muslims and the first protest was sparked in the north east

Various organisations hold protest against Citizenship Amendment Act in Trivandrum; According to Kerala Police, 233 preventive arrests have been made till 11 am today.

The young will have to be politically aware. They must ask questions. If their questions are stifled, then democracy is in danger. I am a student (in my field) I will continue to voice for them, says Kamal Hasan

Fearing that implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act will "affect" the demography and culture of Assam "in the long run", several young women from Guwahati want the contentious CAA to be either struck down by the court or the Centre to listen to the voices of the protesters.

From college girls to professionals and city residents to those working out of Assam, a large number of women from the state have either participated in the ongoing protests or pledged their support to the movement.

Guwahati native Abhijrita Phukan, 23, pursuing Masters degree in Political Science from the historic Cotton University here, categorically says, "the CAA is not acceptable to us".

"We already have so less jobs in Assam, and if migrants from other countries are allowed to settle in our homestate which is already bursting at its seams from Bangladeshi immigrants, it will change the demography of our state. We might become a minority in our own state," she claimed.

The state and the central governments both must "protect the interest of Assamese youth", who are going to play an important role in the making of the future of the state, the university student said.

"Several groups are approaching or planning to approach the Supreme Court over the Constitutional validity of this Act, and I hope that the court will strike it down," Abhijrita told PTI.

SC says, it's not a trial court and can’t assume jurisdiction for whatever is happening all over the country, after an advocate mentions before it that in the name of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, public properties including trains and fire tenders have been destroyed in West Bengal

Protesters, including students and local residents, converged outside Jamia Millia Islamia University here with tricolour and placards on Tuesday to continue their demonstration against the Citizenship Amended Act and National Register of Citizens.

Braving freezing cold, they took out small marches outside the varsity, shouting slogans against the government.

They, however, made sure the movement of traffic was not affected.

A few students said though many of their classmates have gone back home, they have decided to stay put and fight till the amendments in the Citizenship Act are withdrawn.

This is the second consecutive day of peaceful protests after the demonstration on Sunday turned violent.

On Monday, thousands of students took to the streets demanding a probe into the use of teargas on Sunday inside the Jamia university's library as well as police entering the campus without permission from university authorities.

Curfew was relaxed for 13 hours in Shillong on Tuesday even as the ban on mobile internet services will remain in force, officials said.

The curfew was relaxed from 6 am from areas under Lumdiengjri police station and Sadar police station limits, a statement from the East Khasi Hills district administration said.

Banks, main markets were open and vehicles were plying on the streets. Schools have announced their annual results following which winter vacations have begun in most of the educational institutions.

Mobile internet remained shut for another 48 hours beginning from 5 pm on Monday even as mobile messaging services were relaxed to 5 messages per number that includes OTP services, a senior Home department official said.

Incidents of stone throwing on state-run KSRTC buses have been reported from various parts of Kerala as the dawn-to-dusk hartal called against the Citizenship Amendment Act and police action on students of Jamia university in Delhi, began on Tuesday.

A group of 30 Islamic and political outfits have called the hartal from which major political parties, including the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress and IUML are keeping away.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Assam DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Tuesday, 17 December, confirmed that four people were killed in police action in the state, adding that they had to fire “in order to save more people and property.”

136 cases have been registered so far and 190 protesters have been arrested, he also said. Those arrested include “some major leaders from various organisations,” the DGP said.

Protests were reported from some parts of West Bengal for the fifth day on Tuesday against the amended Citizenship Act.

Agitators raised slogans against the new Citizenship Act at Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district.

The police has stepped up vigil across the state and as many as 354 protesters were arrested for violence.

Several trains to north Bengal were either cancelled or delayed, officials said.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to lead a rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Bhawanipore in south Kolkata area against the citizenship law.

The curfew imposed in Guwahati on December 11 in the wake of protests against the citizenship law was lifted on Tuesday, officials said.

Shops and business establishments were open in the city, and buses, cars and two-wheelers were plying.

The decision to lift the curfew in Guwahati was taken at a law and order review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday.

"It has been decided to lift the curfew completely in Guwahati from 6 am tomorrow," an official statement had said.