CAA Protests: There have been protests over the past few days in several parts of the country.
Amid the countrywide protests against the new citizenship law, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the launch of the party's election campaign to launch a fierce attack on his critics, challenging them to "lay bare" before the country if any of his policies discriminated between people. "Stand up and respect parliament, respect the government elected by the people," he exhorted them from Delhi's Ram Lila Maidan, against the backdrop of the majestic Red Fort.
Protests have been planned today across Delhi and Bengaluru against the contentious citizenship law, which has raised a storm across the country. At least five programmes - meetings and foot marches -- have been planned in Delhi. Two of them will be held at Jantar Mantar, the designated protest site in Delhi, and one in the Central Park of Connaught Place, the heart of the city.
Here are the LIVE Updates on protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA):
Students shave their heads in Puducherry protesting against Citizenship law
Students in Puducherry have adopted a unique method to demonstrate their protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act by shaving their heads.
Protestors were seen shaving their heads and raising slogan denouncing the newly-enacted law.
Earlier on Thursday, various political, non-political and student organisations in Chennai protested against the Act, demanding the government to withdraw the new law alleging that it discriminates on the basis of religion.
Raising slogans against the CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC), the protestors claimed the act is against the Constitution as it has "discriminatory provisions."
Congress tweeted countering PM Modi
The Congress tweeted a series of "mythbusters" about the NRCHere are the tweets:
Whilst CAA & NRC are independent legislations, it is imperative that their impact together is understood. The purpose of NRC is to identify & expel illegal immigrants, however, CAA will give some of those immigrants the opportunity to claim citizenship on the basis of religion.
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In Home Minister Amit Shah's own words: Understand the chronology, first comes CAA & after that will be NRC. This won't just be in Bengal but all over India.
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Home Minister Amit Shah has claimed neither Aadhar nor Voter ID can be used, however, other members of the BJP believe even the Passport will not be eligible.
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Given that CAA is a violation of the Constitution of India and NRC will require all Indians to provide proof of their citizenship, every Indian should be concerned with the direction this govt is taking our country.
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Given the precedent the Assam NRC has given us, an Indian citizen without the requisite documents will be forced to suffer the ordeal of several court cases & may eventually end up in a detention camp completely Stateless.
Akhilesh Yadav tweeted on the NRC and the new citizenship law with a photoThe CAA has destroyed the right to equality enshrined in our constitution.
NRC will effect the migrant poor, tribals and even our Holy men who wander everywhere without any worldly belongings. We should learn meaning of religion from them and not from those who lust for power.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted blasting PM Modi and Amit Shah
We did this because we won with everybody's trust. We passed two bills in the same session. In one I gave rights to 40 lakh people (of unauthorised colonies) and they claim I am stealing rights. I challenge you to go and check every work of mine for discrimination. If you find it then keep it before the nation. We gave Ujjwala benefits to so many did we ask for anybody's religion. I want to tell all parties to stop inciting people. Even in future, we will give benefits of Ujjwala to all poor people, nobody will be kept out. In the last 5 years, our government made homes for 1.5 crore people. The country is being misguided by political parties that we will ask all to arrange papers. We have done so much for the welfare of poor people without restricting that because of lack of documents. People had to run around before our government.
Along with you, I want to thank all those representatives. But after the bill was passed some political parties are spreading rumours and are inciting people. I want to ask the liars that when we legalised the unauthorised colonies did we ask them their religion or which party you support. Did we ask you for evidence of 1975 or 1980? The benefit of our decision went to people of all religions.
In the last session of parliament we passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have passed the bill, the people should respect the parliament, they should respect the mandate of the people, says PM Modi.
PM at Ramlila Maidan
PM Modi begins to address people at Ramlila Maidan. PM Modi makes chants of unity in diversity.
Anti-CAA protests: Uttarakhand on high alert, security tightened
Security forces on Sunday were put on high alert across Uttarakhand in view of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Due to the continuous demonstration, leaves of all police personnel have also been cancelled in the state. State DG Law and Order Ashok Kumar have issued instructions to the police officers of all the districts to be vigilant. Police headquarters in Dehradun and Haridwar have also been directed to maintain high vigil in the cities. Section 144 that prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area, was imposed in Haridwar on Saturday, in view of the protests against the CAA, scheduled to be held today in the city.
CAA protests: Yediyurappa Announces Rs 10 Lakh Compensation
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced Rs 10 lakh each as compensation to the families of the two people who died during protests in Mangaluru on December 19.
CAA protests: Curfew relaxed in Mangaluru
Curfew relaxed in Mangaluru till 6 pm today by the district administration, Section 144 (prohibiting assembly of more than 4 people in an area) to remain in force.
Citizenship act: TMC delegation's visit not allowed, says UP DGPUttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh on Sunday said that no permission was given to the TMC delegation who are planning to visit the protest-hit state and the families of those killed. "We have come to know that some political leaders of Trinamool Congress want to visit Lucknow.
CAA protests: Situation peaceful in Bengal
The situation in West Bengal was peaceful on Sunday morning, with no incidents of violence reported from any part of the state, police said. According to sources, the police administration has increased vigil and beefed-up arrangements in trouble-torn areas to maintain law and order. The state has witnessed unabated violence and arson from December 13 to 17 owing to protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). The Bengal unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is scheduled to take out a rally from Rani Rashmomi road in the afternoon. Police have increased stepped up security to avoid any untoward incident.
Citizenship act: Indians prefer overseas destinations
As protests against the amended Citizenship Act continue to rage in parts of the country, the tourism industry has taken a hit this holiday season, with several nations deeming India as an unsafe travel destination. Stakeholders of the country's tourism industry maintained that many domestic tourists were also looking to spend their winter vacations abroad, in view of the law-and-order situation.
A police constable in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad had a narrow escape from death on Saturday after a bullet fired during a protest in Firozabad pierced through his bulletproof vest and got stuck in his wallet. Police officer Vijendra Kumar says that he feels like he has been granted a second life. "I was on duty in the Nalband area when some of the protestors opened fire at us. The bullet pierced my bullet vest and got stuck in the wallet that was kept in the pocket of my jacket. There were 4 ATM cards and some pictures of Shiv Ji and Sai Baba. It feels like this is my second life," Vijendra Kumar said.
Prashant Kishor tweeted saying, Keep protesting peacefully by raising your voice on all platforms.
PM Modi to launch BJP's Delhi poll campaign today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a mega rally this morning to launch the BJP's campaign for the assembly elections in Delhi next year. The rally comes amid ongoing protests across the country against the new citizenship law. He will begin his address at around 11:30 am at Ramlila Maidan, about a kilometre away from Daryaganj in the old quarter of Delhi that was hit by violence on Friday during the protests against the amended Citizenship Act.
CAA protests: Our fight is to save country, its constitution, says Asaduddin Owaisi
The fight against the new citizenship law is "not just the issue of Muslims" but concerns all Indians and there should be a sustained struggle against the legislation, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has claimed. "Why should I stand in queue and tell that I am an Indian? I have been born in this land. I am a citizen (of India). All 100 crore Indians have to stand in queue (to submit proof of citizenship). This is not just the issue of Muslims but an issue concerning all Indians. I am telling ''Modi-bhakts'' also. You also have to stand in queue and bring documents," the Hyderabad MP said late Saturday night.
Ahead of PM Modi's rally at Ramlila Maidan, police officials have made security arrangements amid the protests against the Citizenship act in the capital.
Delhi protest: Elaborate security arrangements for PM Modi Rally in Delhi
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for PM Modi's rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, which is a little over a kilometre away from Old Delhi's Daryaganj that was hit by violence on Friday during the protest against the amended Citizenship Act.
In large-scale violence that has gripped many parts of Uttar Pradesh since Thursday over the citizenship law protests, fifteen people have died, many of them from bullet injuries. But the state police continues to maintain that it has not fired a single bullet at protesters anywhere. Now, evidence that belies this claim has emerged from Kanpur where there were clashes between the police and protesters yesterday.
Citizenship Amendment Act: Violence in UP, 13 dead
Thirteen people died in protests held across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh Friday. The list includes Saharanpur, Deoband, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Sambhal, Aligarh, Bahraich, Ferozabad, Kanpur, Bhadohi and Gorakhpur; Parts of the state are under prohibitory orders and internet has been unplugged. 705 people have been arrested and the police have filed 124 cases.
Gurugram police tweeted saying, "Traffic Alert for today on Sirhol toll and Kapashera from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm."
CAA protests: Protesters clash with police in UP
Protesters clashed with the police again on Saturday in Uttar Pradesh, where 15 people have died during protests over the contentious citizenship law over the last two days. In Kanpur, protesters set fire to a police post. In Rampur, protesters broke barricades and threw stones at the police, who responded with batons and tear gas. In Delhi, prohibitory orders were issued in areas around the Uttar Pradesh Bhavan. Protests are continuing at Jamia for the seventh straight day since Sunday's violence. Fifteen people have been arrested in connection to Friday's clashes in Old Delhi, in which more than 35 people were injured.