The rage against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) reached a new level today with several protestors begin detained and internet services getting suspended for hours, in various parts of the country.
In the national capital Delhi, people gathered at Jantar Mantar to demonstrate. The CRPF have been brought inside Jantar Mantar after Delhi Police asked the protesting students to leave the premises.Mobile internet services were also suspended in multiple parts of Delhi for around 4 hours.16 key metro stations including Janpath metro station, Vasant Vihar, Rajiv Chowk and Mandi House Metro, among others, were also closed. Currently except for two, rest of the metro stations have been opened for the public. While the roads were congested due to the protests and traffic remained jammed, the airline service was also affected. IndiGo Airlines had to cancel and reschedule flights, with crew and passengers stuck in traffic jams.
Here’s how the day full of events progressed in other cities. Also, the protest fire reached London too, where Indians came out in the full support of their brothers and sisters protesting back home.
Bengaluru
Hundreds of protesters, including noted historian Ramchandra Guha were detained in Bengaluru as part of the anti-CAA protests. However, the Bangalore city police won hearts for showing their humane side while detaining people protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.
Around 120 detainees were taken to Mangala KalayanaMantapa — a wedding hall. By the time protesters were taken to the marriage hall, it was 1:30pm.
Realising it was lunch time, the police immediately arranged for tomato rice to feed protesters. Several senior citizens, among those detained, were diabetic and complained of low sugar. The police arranged glucose powder for the diabetics.
Uttar Pradesh
On the eve of protests planned by various organisations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 19, Section 144 of the Cr. PC has been imposed across Uttar Pradesh.
Ahmedabad
Around 10 policemen were injured in stone pelting on police vehicles during protests against CAA in Ahmedabad.
Kolkata
While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continued to hold mega rally in Kolkata, the West Bengal unit of Left Front also took out a rally in the city.
Senior state CPI(M) leaders Surjyakanta Mishra, Left Front chairman Biman Bose, CPI leader Swapan Bandyopadhyay, RSP leader Manoj Chakraborty were among those who were at the forefront of the rally.
Mangaluru
Curfew has been announced in Central Sub Division of Mangaluru, in five Police Station limits till midnight on December 20, 2019.
There was traffic jam in several parts of the central business district area in the city after police diverted city buses and other traffic.
Mumbai
Crowds gathered at the August Kranti maidan in Mumbai. The venue, which once witnessed cries of “Bharat Chhodo (Quit India)” now echoes with slogans of “Bharat Jodo” (Put India Together). Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar, Huma Qureshi and Sushant Singh also joined the demonstrations.
Kerala
Hundreds of activists of Democratic Youth Federation of India took out a protest march to Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor on Thursday. Police had to use water canon many times to disperse them but the activists squatted on the road and continued the protest.
Lucknow
Tear gas was fired at protesters near Parivartan Chowk, the heart of the protest. Several persons have been detained.
Abhishek Prakash, DM Lucknow said, “Section 144 was violated by the violent crowd. There was stone-pelting at some places. Mild force was used to being crowd under control. We are arresting those who pelted stones and violated the law. Things will be soon brought under normalcy.”
London
Hundreds of Indian students and diaspora stood outside the High Commission of India in London to protest against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The protesters in London also expressed solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University.
