Picture : Twitter / ANI
Scores of protestors were detained by the Delhi Police near Red Fort when they tried to take out a march in defiance of the prohibitory orders imposed there to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The nationwide protests also come a day after the Supreme Court refused to stop the implementation of the amended law, and issued a notice to the Centre while hearing nearly 60 petitions challenging the recent amendments to the Citizenship Act. The top court also asked the central government to respond to the pleas by the second week of January.
Swarajya Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav was among those detained, officials said.
Historian Ramachandra Guha among the protestors detained as a part of police crackdown on anti-CAA protests. “I have been detained for holding a photo of Mahatma Gandhi and speaking to the press,” Guha said in Bengaluru. Karnataka too saw massive protests over the CAA
Karnataka: Protests continue at Town Hall in Bengaluru against the #CitizenshipAmendmentAct. pic.twitter.com/V6LqbqJSNA
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2019
Protestors, which included activists and students, were dragged into buses in a bid to clear the area. Holding placards and shouting slogans, the protesters allowed themselves to be escorted to the buses.
“I know many of our mates are being detained, despite that many have gathered here. The citizenship of this country cannot be divided and this is our protest call today,” Yadav said.
Two protests are scheduled in the national capital, one by students and activists and the other by left parties. The two marches are to meet at Shaheen Park near ITO.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation have in view of the protests closed gates of seven more metro stations in view of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Section-144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed near Red Fort.
Now, the entry and exit gates of 14 Delhi Metro stations are closed for commuters. Earlier in the morning, the DMRC had closed gates of seven metro stations, including Jamia Millia, Jama Masjid and Munirka
“Entry & exit gates of Patel Chowk, Lok Kalyan Marg, Udyog Bhawan, ITO, Pragati Maidan and Khan Market are closed. Trains will not be halting at these stations,” the DMRC tweeted.
The gates of Central Secretariat were also closed but interchange facility was available for passengers.
Telecom operators too suspended internet, voice and messaging services in parts of Delhi-NCR following instructions from the police in the wake of protests against anti-Citizenship Amendment Act.
As per the order, services were suspended for locations including walled city areas of north and central districts, Mandi House, Seelampur, Jaffarbad, Mustafabad, Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh and Bawana.
Telecom service providers including Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio barred the services to comply with the order.
“In view of the prevailing law and order situation, it is hereby directed that communication of all types i.e. voice, SMS and internet, be halted from 0900 hours to 1300 hours in Cell IDs/BTS (base transceiver stations) covering the following areas for 19-12-2019,” said the order issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, New Delhi.
Despite prohibitory orders issued by Delhi Police, protestors have gathered at Red Fort and Mandi House.
Police have already detained scores of protesters at the Red Fort and taken away in buses.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has closed entry and exit gates of 16 stations.
In wet Bengal, Kolkata, Film-maker Aparna Sen took part in a protest against Citizenship Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
