The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to provide interim protection from arrest and other coercive action to the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University, who sought a judicial inquiry into the actions of the police for entering the institution’s campus on the night of December 15 and assaulting students.
Hundreds of people were detained in cities including Delhi and Bengaluru during demonstrations against the amendments to the Citizenship Act. Protests against the citizenship law were held in more than 10 cities across the country.
The police imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure – which bans a gathering of more than four people – in Delhi’s Red Fort, and across Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
Citizenship Act protests: Two dead after violent protests in Mangaluru
Two people died in the city of Mangaluru in Karnataka as protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act snowballed, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Amid protests, BJP chief Nadda says NRC, Citizenship Act will be implemented throughout India
Bharatiya Janata Party Working President Jagat Prakash Nadda said on Thursday, despite massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, that both the act and the National Register of Citizens will be implemented throughout the country. Nadda made the remarks after meeting Sikh refugees from Afghanistan in Delhi.
In pictures: Hundreds take to streets of Delhi to call for repeal of amended citizenship law
Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of Delhi on Thursday against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Dozens of them – including Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, activist Harsh Mander, and Left leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu and Brinda Karat – were detained earlier in the morning from the area near Red Fort as the police imposed prohibitory orders banning large gatherings.
Citizenship Act protests in Delhi: Flights delayed, huge traffic jams due to police blockades
Road blockades by the police and dense fog led to hundreds of flyers being stranded in and around Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday, the Hindustan Times reported. Many flights were also cancelled or postponed.
Citizenship Act protests: ‘These laws are breaking the back of the Constitution,’ says Arundhati Roy
Author and activist Arundhati Roy on Thursday joined the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in New Delhi. Roy told Scroll.in that the Act had broken the back of the Constitution of India. The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed in Parliament on December 11, seeks to grant citizenship to six persecuted minority communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan – except Muslims – as long as people from these communities have come to India on or before December 31, 2014.
Jamia violence: Delhi High Court denies students interim protection from arrest, lawyers say ‘shame’
The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to provide interim protection from arrest and other coercive action to the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University, who sought a judicial inquiry into the actions of the police for entering the institution’s campus on the night of December 15 and assaulting students. As the judges arose, the petitioners’ lawyers and others shouted “shame shame”.
Citizenship Amendment Act is a ‘bigoted law’, says Amnesty, criticises crackdown on protestors
Human rights organisation Amnesty International India on Thursday criticised the crackdown on people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Various state government had either arrested protestors or imposed prohibitory orders to stop demonstrations, Amnesty pointed out.
Uttar Pradesh: Journalist booked for video on salt-roti in mid-day meals exonerated by police
A journalist in Uttar Pradesh has been cleared of the charges filed against him in September for reporting about schoolchildren in Mirzapur district being served chapatis and salt in mid-day meals. Pawan Jaiswal, a correspondent with local Hindi newspaper Jansandesh Times, had been charged with criminal conspiracy after his video went viral on social media, sparking outrage.
UP: 18-year-old rape complainant dies of burn injuries at Kanpur hospital
A 18-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh set on fire last week after being allegedly raped died in Kanpur on Thursday. She was from a village in Fatehpur district. The woman suffered 90% burns in the attack that took place on Saturday.
J&K HC quashes five detention orders, finds government didn’t explain reason for custody: Report
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has, since last month, quashed detention orders of at least five persons under the Public Safety Act because their fundamental rights were found to have been violated. The court found that the administration had not communicated to the detenues the grounds of their detention, as is required under the Article 22(5) of the Constitution.
People need an alternative to BJP that stays in India, says Sharad Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said “anti-BJP sentiments” are rising and the people need an alternative which “stays in the country”.
Four artists arrested in Goa for ‘hurting’ Hindu sentiments at music event, let out on bail
Four members of the music band “Dastaan” were arrested and later released on bail in Goa on Wednesday for a performance that allegedly hurt religious sentiments of Hindus, PTI reported. Sumant Balakrishnan, Anirban Ghosh, Shiva Pathak and Nirmala Ravindran performed songs at the ongoing Serendipity Arts Festival in the state.
Citizenship Act protests: Ramachandra Guha detained in Bengaluru
Historian Ramachandra Guha was detained in Bengaluru on Thursday morning amid protests against the amendments to the Citizenship Act. On Wednesday, the city authorities had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure from 6 am for the next three days. The section prohibits the assembly of four or more people at one place.
‘US cares about minorities, our stand same for India’: Mike Pompeo on CAA in Jaishankar’s presence
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said his country was “consistent” in how it responds to the treatment of minorities worldwide, and would respond the same way for India. He was answering a question by a reporter about India’s citizenship law in the presence of two Indian ministers in Washington.
Citizenship Act: Protestors, including Yogendra Yadav, detained near Red Fort
Delhi Police on Thursday said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure – which bans a gathering of more than four people – was imposed near the Red Fort in anticipation of protests against amended Citizenship Act. Permissions for protests near the monument were already denied, however, demonstrators said they will still go ahead with it.
Citizenship Act protestors in New York express solidarity with Jamia, AMU students
Several protestors against the Citizenship Amendment Act passed in India assembled outside the consulate in New York City of the United States on Wednesday evening. The amended law sparked demonstrations across the country that turned violent when the police allegedly used excessive force to quell students’ protests at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University on Sunday.
Jamia Millia violence: Videos suggest Citizenship Act protestors were shot, Delhi Police deny
The Delhi Police has begun its investigation into videos that purportedly show that officials used guns during the crackdown at Jamia Millia Islamia University that followed after a students’ protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act on Sunday evening, NDTV reported on Wednesday. The police had on Tuesday said that only tear gas shells were used and no bullets were fired, and that they followed maximum restraint.
Large gatherings banned in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka amid protests
In view of the protests in different parts of the country against the amended citizenship law, the Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh governments have banned large gatherings under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on Thursday. Both the states are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Protests have planned in more than 10 cities across the country today.
Schools in Noida, Ghaziabad to remain shut for two days due to extreme cold weather conditions
Schools in Noida, and Greater Noida under the Gautam Buddha Nagar district, and Ghaziabad district will remain closed on Thursday and Friday due to extreme cold weather conditions, the district magistrate said. The announcement came on Wednesday when the national Capital recorded the coldest day of the season with minimum temperature recorded at 7 degrees Celsius.
‘Situation along LoC can escalate any time,’ warns Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said the situation along the Line of Control could escalate any time, PTI reported. “The Indian Army is always ready for escalatory matrix,” he added at an event in New Delhi.
Rawat’s remarks came in the backdrop of increasing ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control since the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status on August 5.
‘Where are the homes and jobs for refugees who will apply for citizenship?’ asks Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday wondered how the Centre would provide jobs, housing and other facilities to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan seeking Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act’s provisions.
“There are three to four crore non-Muslims in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan,” Kejriwal told News18 in an interview. “If they come to the country, who will give them jobs, where will you make them stay? Will you give them housing in Delhi, Mumbai, Assam, Tripura? Today, there is unemployment everywhere. Our first priority should be to provide employment to our youth. We want to give it to Afghans, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis.”
GST Council votes for the first time to approve single 28% rate for lotteries from March
The Goods and Services Tax Council on Wednesday approved a uniform rate of 28% on lotteries across India, ANI reported. The 38th meeting of the council, which has representatives from every state and the Centre, was held in New Delhi.
Revenue Secretary AB Pandey said the GST rate for both state-run and private lotteries would be effective from March 1, 2020. This is the first time the council took a decision through a vote, Mint reported. Twenty-one states voted in favour of the uniform rate.
J&K: Prayers held at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid for the first time in over four months
Congregational prayers were held at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid on Wednesday – the first time since the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status on August 5, PTI reported. Mufti Ghulam Rasool led some 70 worshippers in prayer. Security restrictions around the mosque had been lifted earlier, but people refused to offer prayers since the security forces had not been removed.
‘Vindication of my stand,’ says Cyrus Mistry after being reinstated as Tata Sons chairperson
Businessman Cyrus Mistry on Wednesday said National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s decision to restore him as the executive chairperson of Tata Sons was a vindication of the stand he took after the company’s board removed him three years ago “without warning or reason”, NDTV reported.
Mistry said the judgement was not a personal victory. “It is a victory for the principles of good governance and minority shareholder rights,” he added. “For over fifty years, the Mistry family, as the significant minority shareholder of Tata Sons, has always endeavoured to play the role of a responsible guardian of an institution that the entire nation is proud of.”