Students across the nation have stated strong protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act
The crackdown by the Delhi Police at Jamia Millia Islamia University, on late Sunday night, over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), has stirred unrest across colleges in Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
Hundreds of students, today, i.e., Monday, December 16, 2019, took to the streets demanding a probe on how the Delhi Police entered the Jamia campus without permission from the Varsity authorities and also over the use of tear gas inside the University Library.
Several students of University of Delhi have boycotted their examination and will be gathering at India Gate today in the evening to express their concerns over the CAA.
Expressing concern over the protests, the Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi made a series of tweets. His first tweet read, “Violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act are unfortunate and deeply distressing. Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos.”
Violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act are unfortunate and deeply distressing.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos.
He further tweeted, “The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed by both Houses of Parliament with overwhelming support. Large number of political parties and MPs supported its passage. This Act illustrates India’s centuries old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood.”
The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed by both Houses of Parliament with overwhelming support. Large number of political parties and MPs supported its passage. This Act illustrates India’s centuries old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
The third tweet was, “I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act. This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India.”
I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act. This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
He also blamed the select groups for spreading disharmony in the country. He said, “The need of the hour is for all of us to work together for the development of India and the empowerment of every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised. We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance.”
Urging people to stay away from rumours, he wrote, “This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood. It is my appeal to everyone to stay away from any sort of rumour mongering and falsehoods.”
A student of Jamia – Khanzala said, “We were inside the university when the police barged in. Around 20 policemen came from gate no 7 and 50 others came from the rear gate. We told them we were not involved in the violence. They didn’t listen. They didn’t even spare women.”
The Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Milia Islamia University – Najma Akhtar has demanded a high-level inquiry and has also said that the University would be filing an FIR against the unauthorised entry of Police on the campus.
Najma Akhtar told media, “I also appeal to everyone to not believe in any kind of rumours. We will file an FIR against the entry of Police inside the university campus. We demand a high-level inquiry.”
She also denied the rumours that 2 students of the University have died in the clashes. “There has been a strong rumour that two students died, we deny this totally, none of our students died. About 200 people were injured of which many were our students,” said Najma Akhtar.
Besides, the Delhi Police has released 50 students which were detained by it to ensure peace in the city. Separately, the Jamia students were joined by the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) outside the Police Headquarters at Delhi’s ITO to stage protest against the alleged police assault.
In Lucknow’s Nadwa College, students had gathered in large number and were shouting slogans, “Awaz Do, Hum Ek Hain” (Call us, we are all united). They also pelted stones at Police.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE OF STONE PELTING AT LUCKNOW
Speaking on the occasion, the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police – O.P. Singh said, “Some students of the Nadwatul Ulama here tried to protest and hurled stones from inside. They were prevented and no one is allowed to come outside the campus.”
The students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) came out in support of Jamia student’s post-midnight. The authorities have now closed the AMU till January 5, 2020. The students have also been asked to vacate the hostel. The students of Maulana Azad Urdu University, Hyderabad took out a solidarity march post-midnight and demanded that their examinations should be postponed.
Demonstrations were also held at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi and Jadavpur University in Kolkata. Students of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai also raised slogans on streets, “Shame on Delhi Police”. Other universities which witnessed protest were Pondicherry University and Patna University.
It is to be noted that Citizenship (Amendment) Act seeks to change the 6 decades old Citizenship Act and grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan facing religious persecution in these neighbouring countries. It was first proposed by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in 2014, as a part of their election campaign, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed on December 9, 2019, in the parliament.
The people of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, till December 31, 2014, will not be treated as illegal immigrants, but will be given Indian citizenship.
