6 killed in anti-CAA violence in UP; 40 held for protests in old Delhi

Six protesters were killed in the violence that erupted during protests against the amended Citizenship law in Uttar Pradesh on Friday (December 20), a top official said. Deaths were reported from Bijnor, Sambhal, Firozabad, Meerut, and Kanpur, said reports.

With this, the death toll across the country in two days over the new law stands at nine. On Thursday, two protesters were killed in Karnataka’s Mangaluru in an alleged police firing and one in Lucknow. It may be noted that of the nine deaths reported so far from across the country, Uttar Pradesh alone accounts for seven deaths.

In Uttar Pradesh, at least 10 cities witnessed violence over the contentious law. Violence was reported from Muzaffarpur, Aligarh, Firozabad, Pilibhit, Mau, Ghaziabad, Azamgarh, Kanpur and Bulandshahr. Incidents of unrest were reported from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s constituency, Gorakhpur as well.

Faced with stone-pelting protesters and vehicles being torched, police resorted to lathi-charges and used tear gas to dispel crowds and control the situation. Taking no chances, the state government also extended Section 144 across the state. Earlier in the day, authorities had cut internet services in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Sambhal, Pilibhit, Bareilly and Lucknow.

In a nearly two-minute long video of Friday’s protests posted on social media, the protesters were seen pelting stones and shouting at the police, who were standing at a distance in riot gear. As the video plays out, the police personnel, who do not initially react, start throwing stones at back at the protesters.

Yogi talks tough

Earlier in the day, Adityanath said his government will avenge the destruction of public assets during the protests over the amended citizenship law by seizing and auctioning off the property of those involved in the violence.

“There is no place for violence in a democracy. In the name of opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Congress, SP and Left parties have pushed the entire country into fire. There was violence in Lucknow and Sambhal and we will deal with it strictly. All property of those involved in damaging public assets will be seized and auctioned to compensate for the losses,” he said.

He added those damaging property have been captured in video and CCTV footage. We will take revenge from them by seizing their property, he added. UP government spokesperson Shishir later said that the chief minister’s remarks were in the context of a Supreme Court observation that those who damage public assets should be asked to pay for them.

Arson in old Delhi

Friday’s protests turned violent in old Delhi’s Daryaganj locality, where vehicles were torched and the police unleashed water cannons on the demonstrators. Due to the protests, around 16 metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat, were kept shut in the national capital and traffic movement was stopped from Mandi House to ITO.

Delhi police said some “anti-social elements” in the gathering outside Jama Masjid started to break barricades in a bid to march towards Jantar Mantar, against the police advice. “Police used water cannon and absolutely minimum force to push them back,” police said.

“While protesters were being pushed back, a private car parked at Subhash Marg was torched. The police staff immediately doused the fire. Some police personnel were injured in stone-pelting. Around 40 persons have been detained,” said Delhi police.

Also read | Anti-CAA protests turn bloody, 3 deaths reported across India

Earlier in the day, Bhim Army said the outfit’s chief Chandrashekhar Azad was detained near Daryaganj while leading a protest rally to Jantar Mantar from Jama Masjid. It said Azad had earlier managed to escape when the police tried to detain him at Jama Masjid.

कृपया मेरी गिरफ्तारी की अफवाहों पर ध्यान न दें।
मैं जामा मस्जिद पहुंच रहा हूँ।

— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) December 20, 2019

The rally was organised despite a denial of police permission. Students of Jamia Milia Islamia had extended their solidarity to the Bhim Army.

This comes a day after the country witnessed massive protest rallies, choked roads, screaming protesters, burning vehicles and indiscriminate lathi charge and firing by police, leading to the death of two people in Mangaluru and one in Lucknow.

The police and central forces, including the riot-quelling Rapid Action Force (RAF) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), were deployed in parts of the country on Friday, indicating that the government was preparing for more protests against the new legislation.

Also read | On India’s streets, youth push back BJP’s politics of hate, fear

Besides Bhim Army, other protests were also planned in several areas of Delhi, including India Gate and Jamia Milia Islamia. Prohibitory orders were imposed in 12 police station areas of Northeast Delhi and police also carried out a flag march in the district which had witnessed violence during protests against the amended citizenship law three days ago, officials said.

The police also used drones to keep a tab on the law and order situation in the area, while Delhi Metro gates for some stations in the Old Delhi area were closed.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka joined protesters who were gathered at the India Gate on Friday evening. “Citizenship Act and NRC are against the poor. The poor they will be most affected by it. What will the daily wage labourers do?” she told reporters.

Mamata asks Modi to revoke CAA

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to ensure the new Citizenship Act was immediately revoked, contending that it was a matter of the country’s interest. A day earlier, she had courted controversy for challenging the Centre to go for a UN-monitored referendum on new Act and the proposed nationwide NRC.

Meanwhile, in a relief for the residents of Assam, which had raised the first voice of dissent against the new citizenship law, internet services were restored in the state on Friday (December 20) after 11 days.

In a media briefing Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, said the land, language and culture of the state will be protected. “It will remain as it is. Nothing will be changed,” he said. Protests against the act in the state had claimed five lives.

After Bengal, Kerala stops work on NPR

The Kerala government on Friday said it has ordered stoppage of all activities in connection with the National Population Register (NPR) in the state considering ‘apprehensions’ of public that it would lead to NRC in the wake of the controversial CAA.

While a government order said the NPR had been put on hold in view of apprehensions that it would lead to the NRC, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said the action was taken as the NPR “deviates from Constitutional values”.

The Kerala police also stepped up vigil in its northern districts in the wake of the death of two protesters in Mangaluru. Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s statement that Keralites were behind the instigation of violence in Karnataka also triggered a furore. Further, reports said at least 20 Kerala-based journalists, who were covering protests in Mangaluru, were detained by the police.

Also read | Detained scribes released in Mangaluru after Pinarayi writes to Yediyurappa

Also, Section 144 was issued for the whole of Karnataka, which on Thursday turned a hotbed of protests. The state government suspended mobile internet services in Dakshina Kannada district on Thursday night for the next 48 hours, following the Mangaluru deaths.

A series of protest marches by different outfits and blocking of trains and buses were also reported in various parts of Kerala past midnight after the news emerged about the deaths. Anti-CAA protesters also blocked Karnataka RTC buses in some parts of Kozhikode and raised slogans against the Mangaluru police action of showing down a protester.

Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, the police have detained 49 people and filed FIR against 5,000 people in connection with violence during anti-CAA protests.

(With inputs from agencies)

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