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In the backdrop of ongoing protests against the amended Citizenship Act and National Population Register (NPR), the ruling BJP has planned to undertake an outreach programme to rubbish the fake news and myths surrounding against them, sources in the BJP said.
They said that the top leadership of the party, including Home Minister and party president Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will take part in awareness campaigns from January 1 to January 15 next month.
Massive protests have broken out nationwide over the citizenship law.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, for the first time, makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries to get citizenship if they fled to India before 2015 because of religious persecution. Critics say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.
Here are the Highlights on Citizenship Amendment Act protests:
Assam minister takes 5-km chopper ride to avoid anti-CAA protests
In order to avoid anti-CAA protests by AASU, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a 5-km chopper ride to reach the venue, where a function was held to pay tribute to deceased BJP MLA Rajen Borthakur.
After arriving Tezpur by helicopter from Guwahati on Saturday, Mr Sarma could not go to Ghoramari, where the programme was taking place, due to the agitation by All Assam Students' Union (AASU).
Protesters blocked the National Highway-15 between Tezpur and Ghoramari opposing the minister's visit and shouted slogans against the amended Citizenship Act.
Hundreds participate in Rainbow pride walk against a proposed National Register of Citizens and the new citizenship law CAA
Hundreds of members of sexually marginalised communities accompanied by family and friends, marched through the streets of Kolkata flaunting vivid costumes on Sunday.
Displaying posters reading "No NRC", "No CAA", "No to Fascism", lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, queer, intersex, hijra, kothi as also those with various other identities LGBTQIAHK+) participated in the annual Rainbow Pride Walk from central Kolkata's Muhammad Ali Park to Bagbazar Sarbojonin grounds in the northern part of the city.
81 detained in Ahmedabad as they gather for anti-CAA protest
According to police, 81 people were detained as they did not have permission for the protest. Activists belonging to different civil society groups, faculty members of some educational institutions, including the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, some trade union leaders and others had gathered at the site, where they planned to hold the demonstration.
"Total 81 persons were detained from near the Gujarat University as they gathered for a protest. They were taken into custody as the police had denied permission for the protest," Gujarat University police station inspector HM Vyas said
PM Modi trying to divide country through CAA, NPR, NRC: Asaduddin Owaisi
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the people over Citizenship Amendment Act, National Population Register and National Register of Citizens and alleged that he wanted to divide the country through these measures.
"The PM is "hell-bent on destroying the Constitution", he said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is misleading the people on CAA, NPR and NRC. Modi wants to divide the country once again by bringing measures like CAA, NRC and NPR," he added.
One Eye "Bandaged", Jamia Millia Islamia Students Continue Protests
Wearing bandages in one eye to express solidarity with a fellow student who lost his eye in the police crackdown on December 15, Jamia Millia Islamia students continued their protest, which entered the 17th day on Sunday, supported by student organisations and local residents.
Protestor Aslam said this action of bandaging one eye is in solidarity with Mohammad Minhajudin who has lost an eye but still no action has been taken against the police officers responsible and the force which created havoc in the campus.
The protest in Shaheen Bagh is continuing day and night with scores of citizen coming to support it, despite the bitter cold.
Youth Congress, Chhatra Parishad activists protest against NRC, CAA in Kolkata
Activists of the youth wing of the Congress on Sunday staged a protest march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Hundreds of activists of the Youth Congress and the "Chhatra Parishad", students' wing of the grand old party, holding anti-CAA and anti-NRC placards, started their march from Esplanade area of the city planning to go to the state BJP office on Central Avenue.
They were stopped near Central Metro station by police personnel who formed a three-tier human chain.
MK Stalin stresses for unity among secular parties to oppose CAA, NRC
DMK President MK Stalin says unity among secular parties was ''essential'' to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register to fight communal forces.
"Unity and coordination among secular parties essential to oppose #CAA & #NRC & #NPR to fight back communal forces and protect social justice," he said.
Honoured to be present at the swearing-in ceremony of @HemantSorenJMM.
- M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 29, 2019
Unity and coordination among secular parties essential to oppose #CAA & #NRC & #NPR fight back communal forces and protect social justice.
Wish the new government in Jharkhand a successful tenure. pic.twitter.com/gP8wKXInvu
Joint protests to be held in Kerala against Citizenship Amendment Act
A meeting of various political parties and socio-religious outfits, convened by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday decided to hold joint protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.
Protests outside Shaheen Bagh police station in Delhi
A group of people staged a protest outside the Shaheen Bagh police station in Delhi against the citizenship law and the NRC, the police say.
32 protesters, residents of Jamia Nagar and Shaheen Bagh, raised slogans against the central government and demanded withdrawal of the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the amended Citizenship Act.
The group, which called for "Jail Bharo Andolan", went inside the police station to get themselves arrested in a peaceful manner. The police detained them and later released them after noting down their names.
BJP can't decide whether I am an Indian or not: Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav says he will not fill the National Population Register (NPR) form.
He also asked his Samajwadi party workers to boycott the NPR exercise.
"The BJP will not decide whether I am an Indian or not. We want employment and not NPR," he adds.
Referring to the recent anti-CAA violence in the state, Akhilesh Yadav says Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is directly responsible for those who had died in police firing.
Need for enlightened discussion on Citizenship Amendment Act: Venkaiah Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu says there is a need for an enlightened and constructive debate on issues such as Citizenship Amendment Act and National Population Register and stressed that there should be no scope for violence during protests.
".. whether it is CAA or NPR, people of the country should have an enlightened, meaningful and constructive discussion in constitutional houses, meetings and media as to when it came, why it came and what is the net impact, if there is any need to modify it, if so what are the suggestions. If we discuss this, then our system will be strengthened and the public will be enlightened," he says.
"Massive protest" if PM comes to inaugurate "Khelo India" games: All Assam Students' Union
Intensifying its agitation against the amended Citizenship Act, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) says a "massive protest" will be organised if Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to inaugurate the "Khelo India" games on January 10 in Guwahati.
AASU leadership says the organisation is keeping a "close watch" on the forthcoming T20 match between India and Sri Lanka on January 5 in Guwahati and the "Khelo India" games scheduled from January 10 to 22, 2020.
"After the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was passed, the prime minister is likely to visit Assam for the first time. If he visits for the 'Khelo India', there will be a massive protest," AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath adds.
He, however, did not elaborate and said details will be shared in coming days after getting confirmation of PM Modi's visit to the Assam capital.
Citizenship (Amendment) Act: Protest march in Pune
Hundreds of people take out a march in Maharashtra's Pune city to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens.
The march, organised by various outfits, included some Left outfits and Muslim organisations, under the aegis of CAA and NRC Virodhi Maharally Niyojan Samiti, began at Golibar Maidan in the city's Cantonment area and concluded at the divisional commissioner's office.
Youth Congress members protest in Delhi
BJP walks out of the all-party meeting called by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over Citizenship Amendment Act in Trivandrum.
7 people arrested for making rangoli in protest in Chennai
Seven people, including women, were detained briefly today when they staged an anti-CAA protest in Chennai by drawing "kolams" (rangoli), the police said.
They were picked up for holding the protest without permission and causing inconvenience to others, a senior police official said adding they were later let off.
Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act are continuing in several parts of Tamil Nadu by political parties and civil society groups for the past several days.
Chennai: Police releases the seven persons who were detained earlier today in Besant Nagar over charges of unlawful assembly and for making rangoli against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct, without prior permission. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/jcj0hCjFA4
- ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2019
Priyanka Gandhi stopped when she changed route: Police
A Lucknow cop has denied claims that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was manhandled last night when she was on her way to meet a retired IPS officer, who has been arrested for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, adding that the Congress leader was stopped "when she changed her route".
On Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi claimed that cops in Lucknow stopped her cavalcade when she was heading to the house of 76-year-old SR Darapuri, forcing her to hitch a ride on a party worker's scooter.
Upon being stopped again at another intersection two kilometres away, she decided to cover the rest of the way to Mr Darapuri's residence at Sector 18, Indiranagar, on foot.
Citizenship Amendment Act: Assam BJP MLA Accused Of Provoking Supporters Against Protesters
A civil society group has filed a police complaint against an Assam BJP MLA for allegedly exhorting supporters to hit back at Citizenship Act protesters.
The complaint against Mrinal Saikia, who represents Khumtia constituency in the Assam assembly, was filed in Nagaon after a video of the speech was widely circulated on social media. In it, he is heard telling BJP workers to pay back tenfold to any protester who dares attack them.
"Our workers have tolerated a lot in these days. If anyone comes to burn down your house now, you do the same to them. If they try to hit or even touch any one of our workers, you hit at least ten of them. We are more in number. Ten miscreants don't represent the general public," he said at the meet in Chabua, where BJP MLA Binod Hazarika's house was burnt down.
Action must be taken against UP cops: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Citizenship Amendment Act violence
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said "action must be taken" against the Uttar Policeman who was seen in a video making communal statements in a Muslim locality in Meerut last Friday.
The policemen were dealing with violent protests that had broken out in the city after Friday prayers over the amended citizenship law.
In a mobile phone video accessed by NDTV, Akhilesh Narayan Singh, who serves as Superintendent of Police (City) of Meerut, the second in command in the district, can be heard saying "go to Pakistan" to two men.
