After Friday prayers, protesters gather outside Delhi’s Jama Masjid

Mangalore Today News Network / Yahoo

New Delhi, Dec 27, 2019:  Concluding the Friday prayers at Old Delhi’s Jama Masjid, a massive crowd gathered outside the mosque to voice against the new citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). Among the protesters were Congress leader Alka Lamba and former Delhi MLA Shoaib Iqbal.

 

Lamba hit out at the central government, saying “unemployment is the real issue in the county, but you (PM) are trying to put people in a queue for NRC, as it was done during demonetisation”.

In Uttar Pradesh, security has been beefed up and patrolling intensified even as internet services continued to remain suspended in 21 districts in the wake of widespread protests against the citizenship law. Police staged a flag march in sensitive areas in order to avoid a repeat of last Friday’s violence in Gorakhpur and also held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas. As many as 19 people have been killed in the protests so far.

A large number of students from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, carrying banners against the NRC and CAA, turned up at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. The police had earlier in the day denied permission to stage the protest at the grounds and scheduled it at 3 pm.

In Uttar Pradesh, according to figures released by the DGP Headquarters, the 327 cases lodged so far relate to charges of arson, vandalism, attempt to murder, rioting, attack on police force and violation of CrPC Section 144. Preventive detentions have been made under CrPC Section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences).

Officials said notices have been issued to 372 people, allegedly involved in acts of violence resulting in damage of public property, for recovery through attachment of their properties. Majority notices have been issued in Moradabad, Lucknow, Firozabad and Gorakhpur.

In Mumbai, the planned march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) from Byculla to CSMT has been curtailed to a demonstration at Azad Maidan after Mumbai Police denied permission for the rally over the six-km route that passes through some of the most congested parts of the city.

The protest will now take place at Azad Maidan from 3 pm. “We were not given police permission for the rally. The police told us permission was refused for fear of violence. However, the struggle will continue,” said an organiser.

Crowd marching towards PM Modi’s residence stopped by Delhi Police

Hundreds of people marching towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence to demand the release of Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad and to voice their protest against the CAA and the NRC were stopped by police today. The protesters took part in the march with their hands tied so they can’t be blamed for violence and arson during the protest. The protesters, including Bhim Army members, began marching from the Jor Shahe Mardan Qarbala in Jor Bagh and were stopped by police at a barricade on the way to the prime minister’s residence in Lok Kalyan Marg a few kilometres away.