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 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."
The CAA has destroyed the right to equality enshrined in our constitution.