Just after Friday namaz, the national Capital witnessed multiple peaceful protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Scores of people gathered at Jor Bagh, Jama Masjid, Uttar Pradesh Bhawan and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) to mark their protest.
Meanwhile, to maintain law and order situation in the city, the Delhi Police on Friday morning imposed Section 144 at Seelampur, sub-divisions of Connaught Place in New
Delhi district and at several locations in south-east, north and south districts.
Police also carried out flag march at north-east Delhi’s Seelampur, Jafrabad, Welcome and Mustafabad areas which had witnessed violence on December 17.
Adequate police force from adjoining districts and 15 companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in the north-east district. The Delhi Police also used drones to keep a vigil on the situation.
“We have been conducting flag march in the northeast district along with the members of ‘Aman Committee’ to ensure that law and order remains in control. We have also been appealing to the people to help police maintain peace,” said Ved Prakash Surya, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), north-east.
Heavy police deployment is also in place in Jamia Nagar, Jama Masjid and Chanakyapuri. The Delhi Police had also put up a banner asking people to refrain from staging demonstrations outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan as prohibitory orders are in place.
On Friday noon, hundreds of people with their hands tied marching towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence to demand the release of Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar and to protest the amended Citizenship Act were stopped on the way by police.
Amid heavy security arrangement and drone surveillance, the protesters including Bhim Army members started from Dargah Shah-e-Mardan in Jor Bagh in the national Capital and were stopped by police at a barricade en route the PM’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.
They participated in the march with their hands tied, saying they did it so that they could not be blamed for violence and arson during the protest.
They raised slogans of ‘tanashahi nahi chalegi’ and carried posters of Babasheb Ambedkar and Chandra Shekhar. “We have tied our hands and are protesting so tomorrow they do not attack us and lie that we were not protesting peacefully,” said Majid Jamal, one of the participants in the protest.
Drones kept hovering over the protesters keeping a close watch on them. When the protesters were stopped from marching towards their destination, they appealed to the police personnel to allow them to continue their march.
Chandra Shekhar was arrested for allegedly instigating protesters to indulge in violence in old Delhi’s Daryaganj in an inflammatory speech last Friday.
Entry and exit gates at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station were closed on Friday in view of protest marches being taken out near it in the city.
“Entry & exit gates of Lok Kalyan Marg are closed. Trains will not be halting at this station,” the DMRC tweeted. However, the gates were reopened in the evening.
Police on Friday also detained a group of protesters who tried to stage a demonstration outside the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Bhawan against alleged police atrocities in the State following the agitation over the CAA.
The Jamia Coordination Committee, which comprises students from various political groups active on the campus, had called for a ‘gherao’ of the UP Bhawan. There was heavy security deployment outside the venue.
Police said that a total of 357 protesters, including 282 men and 75 women, were detained and taken to Mandir Marg and Connaught Place police stations and they were subsequently released. “Leader of the protesters, Badre Alam was on Thursday informed by police to take proper permission and hold protest at a designated place such as Jantar Mantar. But he didn’t pay any heed to the advice of police,” said a police official.
Personnel from adjoining police districts were also deployed to ensure that no untoward incident occurs. Senior police officers, including Anand Mohan, the Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), Eish Singhal, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), New Delhi, Deepak Yadav, the Additional DCP (New Delhi), and Devendra Arya, the DCP (Southwest) were also present at the spot.
At historic Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, several people gathered to protest against the amended citizenship law. Congress leader Alka Lamba and former Delhi MLA Shoaib Iqbal were among those who joined the demonstrations.
Lamba hit out at the Central Government, saying “unemployment is the real issue in the county, but you (PM) are trying to put people in a queue for NRC, as it was done during demonetisation.
The protesters, many of whom gathered after offering Friday prayers at the mosque, raised slogans against the new legislation and the proposed NRC.
“Is desh ko NRC, NPR nahi chaiye. Is desh ko rozgaar chahiye. Is desh ko aman aur shanti chahiye (This country does not need NRC, NPR, it needs jobs. The country needs peace and amity),” protesters were seen chanting these slogans.
The protesters, who were carrying placards that read “Save the Constitution, don’t divide India”, appealed to the people to remain non-violent.