Punjab CM Amarinder on CAA: 'Imposing Section 144 and detaining protesters wrong'

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed at several places across many states with protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act intensifying. On Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has called the imposition of Section 144 and detention of protesters "completely wrong". Taking to Twitter, he said that to stage a peaceful protest is a democratic and constitutional right of every citizen and all should be allowed to exercise the right. He also urged all the protesters to ensure their protests are peaceful. 

Punjab CM's appeal to protesters

Historian Ramchandra Guha, Left leaders were detained by Bengaluru police. Left leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat and others were detained at Mandi House in Delhi for defying prohibitory orders imposed by the police. Protests are being held in more than 10 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai and Patna. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Thursday closed entry and exit gates of 19 stations including the busy Rajiv Chowk for commuters in view of protests in the national capital against the act.

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Security beefed up in Mumbai

Security has been beefed up in Maharashtra ahead of the protests in August Kranti Maiden against the amended Citizenship Act, 2019. 

Mobile internet services snapped in Delhi

Mobile services including internet, voice calls, and SMS were on Thursday suspended in parts of Delhi and also in some other cities across the country amid heavy protests against the CAA. The Delhi Police on Thursday directed the nodal officers of all mobile operators including Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea to suspend mobile services from 9 am to 1 pm in the Walled City area of north and central districts, Mandi House, Seelampur, Jaffarbad and Mustafabad, Jamia Nagar and Shaheen Bagh, Bawana. The CAA grants citizenship to non-Muslims of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution and arrived in India until December 31, 2014.

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