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Protests against India‘s contentious citizenship law continue as the country’s 200 million Muslims fear the legislation is part of the Hindu nationalist government’s agenda to marginalise them.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed last week grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh but blocks naturalisation for Muslims.
Critics say the law – similar to US President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban – goes against the spirit of India’s secular constitution.
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India’s Supreme Court has rejected a plea seeking to stall the implementation of the law and has fixed January 22 as the next date of hearing.
In northeastern India, protests against the new law are mainly against allowing any “foreign migrant” from Bangladesh – irrespective of religion – to settle in the region.
On December 15, nearly 200 students were injured and dozens arrested after police stormed New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), located 130km (81 miles) from the capital, to disperse the protests.
Since the assault on the two campuses, solidarity protests are being held across the South Asian country.
Here are the latest updates:
Mobile services cut in parts of Indian capital
Two major Indian telecom firms have said they have cut mobile services in parts of New Delhi on government orders.
Vodafone and Airtel announced they had cut services on mobiles while a third operator Jio is reported to have followed suit.
India is already the world leader in cutting the internet, activists say, and access has been restricted in parts of the northeast and in Uttar Pradesh, home to a large Muslim minority.
Crackdown on peaceful protests must stop: Amnesty
Rights group Amnesty India has asked the federal and state governments across India to stop the crackdown on the peaceful protests against what it called a “discriminatory” citizenship law.
“The CAA [Citizenship Amendment Act] is a bigoted law that legitimises discrimination on the basis of religion. The people of the country have the right to protest against this law peacefully and express their views,” said Avinash Kumar, the group’s executive director.
Delhi metro stations shut, traffic chaos on streets
Fourteen Delhi metro stations were shut including one near police headquarters, besieged by protestors earlier this week.
Some roads into the megacity were blocked, causing immense traffic jams.
Sambhal: A State Transport bus set ablaze, allegedly during protest against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/rtjO2rEF1A
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 19, 2019
Police ban protests in New Delhi
Police have banned protests in capital New Delhi and several state capitals in an effort to contain growing dissatisfaction over the new citizenship law.
Protesters defied the ban and are holding a demonstration at New Delhi’s iconic Red Fort and surrounding historic district.
Delhi: Large number of protesters in Red Fort area where Section 144 has been imposed. #CitizenshipAct pic.twitter.com/ZCIR2zsBZ4
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2019
Big protests planned in India amid restrictions
Big rallies are expected across India on Thursday as the tumultuous and angry reaction builds against a citizenship law seen as discriminatory against the country’s 200 million Muslims.
Police refused a march permit for one of two large demonstrations planned in New Delhi, officials said. Organisers said they planned to march anyway.
Read more here.
We, the People of India reject the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Protests across the country tomorrow on the martyrdom day of Ashfaqullah Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil, 19th December.
Here is a list of some of the cities: pic.twitter.com/hBQ7pNuSYU
— Umar Khalid (@UmarKhalidJNU) December 18, 2019
Leading historian detained in Bengaluru
India’s leading historian Ramchandra Guha is among dozens detained in the southern city of Bengaluru during a protest against the citizenship law.
Guha was participating in a protest at the city’s Town Hall where a ban on large gatherings has been imposed. “I am protesting non-violently, but look they are stopping us,” he said as news channels showed footage of him being dragged by three policemen.
