Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act took a violent and aggressive twist in Delhi’s Seelampur on Tuesday. Reports claim that the police used batons and tear gas shells to diffuse the protesters. A police booth was set on fire and a school bus was damaged as the unrest escalated in the area. It has been alleged that atleast 2000 protestors threw stones and set vehicles on fire.
The Seelampur MLA, Mohd Ishraq Khan, appealed to protestors: “This is not right for anyone, I appeal to the protesters to go back to their houses”.
According to one witness, “peaceful protest against the Citizenship law got out of hand.” Others claimed outsiders armed with bottles and bricks got in and sparked the clashes.
Other Updates On CAA
- Internet services were cut in Aligarh and Meerut.
- In order to preserve law and order, Delhi’s Saket Court sent ten accused to 14-day legal supervision in the correlation with Jamia Millia Islamia episode on 17th December. The North-Eastern states of India, along with other places, have been continuously raising their voices against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
- On 17th December, the Supreme Court heard all the appeals related to the police attack on students of the Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia Millia Islamia. Taking a serious note of rioting and damage of public properties throughout protests, the Supreme Court stated: “violence must stop immediately”.
- Meanwhile, PTI reported that 19 people have been arrested in association with hostility and vandalising in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau. The Additional Director General (Prosecution) Ashutosh Pandey stated, “In connection with Monday’s violence in Dakshintola area of Mau, as many as 24 persons have been identified so far. Of these, 19 have been arrested. The mischief mongers are being identified through video footage and photos published in various newspapers”.
- The Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Najma Akhtar, insisted on a serious and superior level of investigation in the matter of the police onslaught on university students. She also added that police do not have any kind of consent to enter the campus.
- The Home Minister of India Amit Shah stated in Delhi, “Come what may, the Modi government is firm that it will ensure these refugees get Indian citizenship and live as Indians with honour.”
- Meanwhile, the students from different states like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Jadavpur University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, and IIT Mumbai have also come in support of Jamia Millia Islamia students, along with the opposition parties. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association was also part of the protests, along with the Students Federation of India (SFI).
- Assam DGP confirmed that 4 people were killed in police action.
- The opposition leaders, led by the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, reportedly met with the President, Ram Nath Kovind, and discussed the current turbulence over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
- The Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the amended Citizenship Act is not related to the anticipated National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercises all over the country.
- NDTV reported that the Chennai police entered the Madras University because of the ongoing protests by the students.
- Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Anil Baijal appealed for nonviolent protests by saying: “I appeal to all to maintain peace. Don’t get involved in any kind of violence and immediately inform Delhi Police about violent elements. Violence is not only illegal but also inhuman. Express your concerns through peaceful democratic means”.
The entire country is going through an extreme disturbance and rebellious situation, where the students are protesting against the barbaric actions of police as well as the CAA, that has upset the nation far and wide.