Gridlocked Delhi bears the brunt; mobile services cut and Section 144 in 3 places

Capital city New Delhi faced the brunt of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Thursday (December 19). Protests triggered huge traffic snarls across the national capital during the morning peak hours with the Delhi-Gurgaon route virtually choked with vehicles.

While, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) closed entry and exit gates of 21 stations, prominent telecom service providers including Airtel, Jio and Vodafone suspended their services in New Delhi.

Earlier, scores of protestors were detained by the Delhi Police near Red Fort when they tried to take out a march in defiance of the prohibitory orders.  Swarajya Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav was among those who were detained, officials said. “I have just been detained from Lal Qila. About a thousand protesters already detained. Thousands on the way. Am told we are being taken to Bawana,” Yadav tweeted.

"We are in an insolent tyranny, whose hallmark is that it will take the calls for ordinary justice, decency and liberty as signs of anti-national insurrection."

Fitting piece for today by @pbmehta
Also some food for thought.https://t.co/KCAdnpBfXL

— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) December 19, 2019

Protestors, which included activists and students, were dragged into buses in a bid to clear the area. Holding placards and shouting slogans, the protesters allowed themselves to be escorted to the buses.

The Delhi Police has urged protestors to go to the designated place for their protest.

“We are requesting the protestors to please apply for the designated place for the protest. In the non-designated places, public face problems and many emergency services get affected.  We urge people to not listen to any rumours. Section 144 has already been imposed in the area. Please cooperate with the Delhi Police,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said.

Mobile services hit

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio have suspended their mobile services, including voice and internet, in many parts of Delhi following a government directive on Monday in the wake of expected protests in the capital.

Suspension of Airtel’s services started after 10 AM and the telecom representative said that they can’t provide any clarity on the duration of services suspension.

Left leaders arrested

Meanwhile, Left leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat and others were detained at Mandi House for defying prohibitory orders imposed by the Delhi Police in the area.

“We are being detained,” CPI general Secretary D Raja said before he was put into a bus by the police.

Section 144 imposed

Delhi Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 that bar an assembly of more than four people around Red Fort, Jamia, Seelampur and Mandi House.

Delhi Police spokesperson Anil Mittal said permission for the protest march had been refused to the Left parties for their protest march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar against the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC this afternoon.

Also read: ‘Shame, shame’ cry lawyers as Delhi HC refuses relief for Jamia students

Air India waives re-issue/refund charges on flight tickets

According to news agency ANI, Air India has waived the charges usually applied for reissue/no-show/cancellation and refund of tickets for all domestic and international flights from Delhi on December 19, 2019 due to the traffic on the Gurugram-Delhi highway.

“In view of the current heavy traffic congestion along the Gurugram-Delhi highway, resulting in inconvenience to passengers, reissue/no-show/cancellation and refund charges for all domestic & international tickets for travel from Delhi on 19th Dec 2019 shall be waived,” ANI reported.

Eight flights have been delayed by 20-100 minutes at the airport.

IndiGo flights delayed

IndiGo airlines had to reschedule around 20 flights due to the traffic restrictions caused by the ongoing protests in Delhi against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and police action against the Jamia University students.

AIIMS asks faculty to not protest

Meanwhile, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Delhi has issued a memo to its staff, faculty and students to not hold any protest in/around AIIMS.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) administration has issued memorandum to its staff, faculty, resident doctors, nurses and students to refrain from holding any dharna/ protest/ strike at, in or around AIIMS. pic.twitter.com/OZbOLMOijJ

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2019