Anti-CAA Protests LIVE updates: SC refuses stay on Act; hearing scheduled on Jan 22

Protests opposing the amended Citizenship Bill remained persistent on Tuesday and was further spread across various college campuses across the country, following the violent clash between the Jamia Millia University students and Delhi Police. 

In fresh violence on Tuesday, protesters across the country reiterated they demanded the revocation of the new Act. In Delhi's Seelampur, Police used tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators. In the Jafrabad area where a clash broke out between police and protesters on Tuesday, the Police used a drone to monitor the situation. 

Over 400 students and alumni of US universities including--Harward, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, and Tufts on Tuesday extended their support to the students of Jamia Millia University and Aligarh Muslim University. Several countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, Singapore, Canada, and Israel have issued travel advisories to their respective citizens to exercise caution while travelling to India in the wake of large-scale protests across the country.

The Home Ministry on Tuesday claimed that no bullet was fired by Delhi Police during the violent protests. There have been allegations that the Delhi Police fired bullets to quell protests during the violent agitation at Jamia. The officials informed that as many as 10 people with "criminal backgrounds" have been detained in pertaining to the protests. However, no details of their actual identity have been divulged, neither is it known if the arrested people affiliate with any political organisation or group. The Police report further said that more "anti-social elements" are being tracked. 

PM Modi on protests 

Addressing an election rally in Barhait, Jharkhand took on the Congress party for peddling lies over the Citizenship Act. PM Modi said, "Today, I openly challenge the Congress and their allies to declare openly if they have the courage, are they ready to give Indian citizenship to every citizen of Pakistan"

READ| PM Modi dares Oppn to declare ‘they will give Indian citizenship to every Pak citizen’

He also accused Congress of lying."They have started spreading white lies about the Citizenship Amendment Act, and are scaring people. The Congress, its parties and its left ecosystem have given full force to frighten the Muslims of India." On Monday, in a joint press brief of Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury and D Raja and others, the Opposition condemned the violence unleashed in the national capital and explicitly opposed the Citizenship Act. 

Azad demanding a judicial probe into Delhi Police action in Jamia said, "Entire country opposed to an unconstitutional law." "Prime Minister says Congress is behind it (protests). Had Congress been capable of inciting such violence, you wouldn't have been in power. It's a baseless allegation. I condemn it. Only the ruling party, Prime Minister, Home Minister  and their cabinet are responsible for it," the Congress leader added. 

READ| SC refuses urgent hearing for plea seeking action against Police in Tis Hazari incident

Supreme Court 

The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down the petitions in Jamia Millia, AMU protests and asked the petitioners to approach the High Courts. "We do not have to intervene. It is a law & order problem, how did the buses burn? Why don’t you approach jurisdictional High Court?" the SC said. 

Various metro stations in the national capital near Jaffrabad, Seelampur closed over the clashes between Police and protesters. 

Following the meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Opposition leaders addressed the media.

Sonia Gandhi said, "Situation very serious and we are very anguished at the manner in which police have dealt with peaceful protesters." She further accused the BJO of shutting down people's voices. 

"We have pressed that the points we had raised inside the parliament will raise a serious situation in the country. NRC and CAA have instilled fear into the minds of the people. Our govt is giving them a chance," SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said. 

"We have requested the President to advise the Prime Minister to repeal and withdraw the Act. It will affect only poor," TMC leader Derek O'Brien said. 

All entry & exit gates of Seelampur, Welcome, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar are open.

Amit Shah in Delhi said, "You can oppose all you want, but PM Modi's BJP government is firm on its decision. All these refugees would get citizenship, they will become citizens of India and live with dignity."

The Supreme Court of India will today take up 60 petitions filed by 59 parties challenging or in some way relating to the newly introduced Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde and comprising of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Surya Kant will decide whether or not the legislation will be put through judicial scrutiny of the Apex Court. The petitioners before the top court include opposition party leaders, student organisations from Assam, NGOs, Muslim organisations and private citizens.

List of petitioners:

• Indian Union Muslim League
• Mahua Moitra
• Rihai Manch
• All Assam Students Union
• Makkal Needhi Maiam 
• Asom Gana Parishad
• All Assam Lawyers Association
• Jairam Ramesh
• Ehtesham Hashmi
• Peace Party
• Sayyed Farooq
• Debabrata Saikia
• Pradyot Deb Burman
• Asaduddin Owaisi
• United Against Hate
• Abu Sohel 
• Intekhab Alam 
• Padi Richo 
• Peter Aiborlang Dohkrut
• Ramesh Chennithala
• Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam Trust
• Nishtha Ganesh
• Mohd Faziluddin
• Deb Mukharji IFS (Retd)
• TN Prathapan
• Ajanta Neog 
• Tehseen S. Poonawala
• Edara E. Sharia
• Social Democratic Party of India
• Jamiat Ulama E Hind thru it’s Gen Sec
• Maitur Rahman
• Suhas Chakma 
• Muslim Advocates Association
• Rangon Choudhury
• Harsh Mander
• Democratic Youth Federation of India
• Assam State Jamiat Ulema
• North East Students Organisation
• Assam Association of the Deaf
• National People’s Party
• Anjum Parvez
• Assam Pradesh Congress Committee
• Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay
• Kerala Muslim Jamaath 
• Hiren Gohain
• Digboli IOCL Contractor Association
• Jamiat Ulama E Hind 
• Umar M
• Prasenjit Bose
• Mohd Azam Hashmati 
• Loktantrik Yuva Janata Dal
• Prof Manoj Kumar Jha
• Asom Jaityatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad
• Jitendra Chaudhary
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Thol. Thirumaavalavan
• Tripura People’s Front
• Prashant Padmanabhan 
• All Assam Matak Sanmilan
• Mohd. Ghouse

Delhi High Court agrees to hear the plea seeking constitution of a fact-finding committee to look into the Jamia Millia University violence.  Chief Justice Patel agrees to list the plea for hearing on Thursday. 

Supreme Court issues notice to government over Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.  The Supreme Court refuses to stay the implementation of the CAA. Supreme Court asks Centre to file response by 2nd week of January, and the hearing has been scheduled for January 22. 

SC asks Attorney General, representing Centre, to consider using audio-visual medium to make citizens aware about CAA.

BSP MPs urge President Ram Nath Kovind to rescind amended citizenship law.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit the streets for the third consecutive day against the amended citizenship law and NRC. TMC supremo Banerjee, along with her party colleagues, began a protest march from Howrah Maidan which will culminate at Dorina Crossing at Esplanade in the heart of Kolkata.

"We will never allow NRC and the amended Citizenship Act in Bengal. No one will be asked to leave the state. We believe in the coexistence of all religions, castes and creed. All of us are citizens of this country, no one can take that away from us," she said before commencing the march. 

Targetting Amit Shah, the TMC supremo said, "You (Amit Shah) are Home Minister of the country not only a BJP leader, please maintain peace in the country. You have not done 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' but 'sabke saath sarvanash'. Withdraw CAA & NRC, or else I will see how you implement it here."

As per ANI sources, the Delhi Police said that the situation in the national capital is under control. There was no violence reported on Wednesday. Two cases were registered and 6 people arrested yesterday, 2 arrested today. Drones were used during the protests by Police to monitor. In parts of North East Delhi, we have imposed section 144.

"We are taking up the matter with Facebook and Twitter regarding the accounts spreading false and fake information on social media. We are also in process of taking action on such accounts," ANI Delhi Police sources said. 

Taking on the government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said, "In Delhi when students raised their voice, police lathi-charged them. Across the country students have hit the streets in protest against it. Form a govt that will listen to students, waive farm loans, secure women, protect your culture and tradition."

Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy alleged on Wednesday the BJP government at the Centre was targeting a community for vote bank politics through the NRC and CAA and destroying the "legacy of secularism" in the country. He also blamed the Congress for being part of "the mischief".

Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan on Wednesday visited the Madras University premises in Chennai and expressed solidarity with students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Haasan was, however, not allowed to enter the main campus and spoke to the agitating students from behind the main gate of the university, opposite the Marina Beach.

The Assam Human Rights Commission has directed the chief secretary to constitute a high-level panel for probing deaths of five protesters in police action during protests over the amended Citizenship Act here last week. In a notice issued by the commission on Tuesday, Chief Secretary Alok Kumar has also been asked to probe the injuries to 27 protestors in baton-charge by the police.

The chief secretary has been asked to submit a report within a month "after enquiring into the incidents to find out the circumstances" leading to the injuries, deaths, arrests, and detentions.