Security in place, protests begin after Friday prayers
ANTI-CAA Congress to take out marches on its foundation day today to ‘save the constitution’
NEWDELHI/AJMER/MUMBAI: A large number of people gathered outside Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi on Friday to protest against the newly-enacted Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
Protestors raised slogans against the Act and the central government. They can be seen carrying placards that read, “Save the Constitution”, “Withdraw CAA”, “We condemn Communal Law”.
Congress leader Alka Lamba was also seen at the protest showing support to the demonstrators.
Earlier in the day, security was beefed up and patrolling was intensified across north-east Delhi to avoid any untoward incident ahead or after the Friday prayers. The precautions were taken after a massive protest had broken out in Jama Masjid area in Delhi against the newly-enacted citizenship law last week following the Friday prayers. Hundreds of activists on Friday held a demonstration here demanding the immediate release of Bhim Army chief Chandrasekhar Azad, who was arrested during the anti-caa protest at Jama Masjid last week.
Police personnel and paramilitary forces were deployed across north-east Delhi in view of the Friday prayers.
“The situation in Delhi is completely under control. We have deployed appropriate forces wherever required. Our senior officials are on the field and are carrying out patrolling. We are also monitoring social media. We would like to urge people to not believe any rumours and to maintain peace,” MS Randhawa, PRO, Delhi Police told news agency ANI. The protest was organised by the Anjuman-e-haideri and Bhim Army workers from Dargah Shah-e-mardan in south Delhi’s upscale Jor Bagh area. The protesters started their march from the Dargah towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. However, they were stopped before the Jor Bagh metro station by the Delhi Police.
Amid raging anti-caa protests, the Congress will take out marches across the country on its 134th Foundation Day on Saturday to take its “Save Constitution-save India” message to the people. Congress president Sonia Gandhi will unfurl the party’s flag at the AICC headquarters here on Saturday morning to mark the occasion, while former party chief Rahul Gandhi will address a rally in Assam’s Guwahati, where he will take on the Narendra Modi government over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), among other issues.
“In addition to the customary flag hoisting in state capitals, presidents of Pradesh Congress Committees will undertake flag marches carrying the message of ‘Save Constitution-save India’,” Congress general secretary, organization, KC Venugopal, said in a statement Major protests have been held across the country against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
Large number of Muslims, including khadims of the Ajmer dargah, took out a protest march against the amended Citizenship Act in Ajmer on Friday, demanding a rollback of the controversial law. They also burnt an effigy of Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, the spiritual head of the dargah, accusing him of misleading Muslims on the issue of the amended Citizenship Act.
“The Centre should repeal the Act, which is an attack on the Preamble of the Constitution. The government should also say that the NRC (National Register of Citizens) will not be implemented (countrywide),” Sarwar Chisty, a khadim of the dargah, said.
In Mumbai, CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat said on Friday that the Centre was using the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register (NPR) as a “trishul” (trident) to attack people.