CAA Protests: 5 Rallies Planned in Delhi, Tight security for Modi’s poll rally

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Dec 22, 2019: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a Vishal Rally in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan today amid intense protests across India against the contentious National Register of Citizens and Citizenship Amendment Act.

Officials said that twenty DCP rank officials will be there. As many as 1,000 personnel from local police, anti-drone teams and NSG commandos will be there. The entire area around the venue will be sanitised. Movement of locals will be restricted, shops will be closed and security personnel will be deployed.

Violence during protests in Uttar Pradesh have so far claimed 16 lives in Uttar Pradesh, while large-scale vandalism and disruption of rail and road traffic were witnessed in Bihar during a bandh called by the RJD yesterday. The Congress, Left and other opposition parties have led demonstrations in many states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, demanding that the contentious law be scrapped.

As protests against the amended Citizenship Act continue to rage in parts of the country, tourism industry has taken a hit this holiday season, with several nations deeming India as an unsafe travel destination. Stakeholders of the country’s tourism industry maintained that many domestic tourists were also looking to spend their winter vacations abroad, in view of the law-and-order situation. Over the past few days, countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, UAE and Australia among others have issued advisories, asking travellers to India, especially to the northeast, to be on guard or reconsider plans.

Officials said that curfew was on Sunday morning lifted in Shillong, as no report of violence or arson over the amended citizenship Act was reported from any part of the city.

Police said that the situation in West Bengal was peaceful today with no incidents of violence reported from any part of the state. According to sources, police administration has increased vigil and beefed-up arrangements in trouble-torn areas to maintain law and order. The state has witnessed violence since the last week over protests against the Citizenship (Amendent) Act, 2019. The Bengal unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is scheduled to take out a rally from Rani Rashmomi road today afternoon.

A rally in support of Citizenship Amendment Act organized in Nagpur by Lok Adhikar Manch, BJP, RSS and other organizations. Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act took a violent turn in Beed, Parbhani, Nanded and Hingoli districts of Marathawada region of Maharashtra on Friday, with at least a dozen persons injured in stone pelting.

The fight against the new citizenship law is "not just the issue of Muslims" but concerns all Indians and there should be a sustained struggle against the legislation, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said. "Why should I stand in queue and tell that I am an Indian? I have been born in this land. I am a citizen (of India). All 100 crore Indians have to stand in queue (to submit proof of citizenship). This is not just the issue of Muslims but an issue concerning all Indians. I am telling ’Modi-bhakts’ also. You also have to stand in queue and bring documents," the Hyderabad MP said late Saturday night.