Published 18:46 IST, January 30th 2020
CPI leaders D Raja & Binoy Viswam detained by Delhi police during anti CAA, NRC protest
The Delhi police on Thursday detained two CPI parliamentarians - D Raja and Binoy Viswam who were protesting against the CAA and NRC at Rajghat.
The Delhi police on Thursday detained two CPI parliamentarians - D Raja and Binoy Viswam who were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) at Rajghat. Along with the two MPs, the police have also detained several other protestors who were present at the site.
CPI's D Raja and Binoy Viswam detained in Delhi
Apparently, the two protestors were present at Rajghat to take part in a human chain, in protest against CAA and NRC. Talking to reporters, Raja said:
"We went to Raj Ghat to take part in the human chain, in protest against Citizenship Amendment Act-National Register of Citizens. Delhi Police has arrested other leaders and me. We don't know where they are taking us."
Earlier, Viswam condemned the shooting incident that happened near Jamia area on Thursday. Viswam compared the shooting incident to the Mahatma Gandhi's murder and said that:
"On this day in 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was murdered by Nathuram Godse, an RSS leader and ideologue. Today, 72 years later, while peaceful protestors gathered near Jamia Milia University to honour the memory of Gandhiji, a young man opened fire on them. This incident is a clear manifestation of the communal hatred spread by the RSS-BJP Government and lays bare their plan to instigate the people of India against each other," he said.
Moreover, the CPI leader also spoke on the lack of police response following the incident and demanded answers. He said that:
"The police must explain how this miscreant was allowed to brandish a weapon with complete impunity while hundreds of policemen were deployed in the area."
Jamia Shooting incident
According to reports, a gun-weilding man shouted, "Who wants Azadi, I'll give you Azadi" and then opened fire on the protesters. One of the students, identified as Shahdab, was injured as a result of firing by the gun-weilding man. The injured student was then taken to a hospital and is undergoing treatment.
"We were moving towards the Holy Family Hospital where the police had raised barricades. Suddenly, a gun-wielding man came out and opened fire. One bullet hit my friend's hand," Aamna Asif, a student of economics at the university, was quoted by reporters.
Anti-CAA protests
The anti-CAA protests have been going on since last December. The CAA aims to provide Indian citizenship for non-Muslim minorities from three neighbouring countries. PM Modi's government has stated that the law aims to help persecuted minorities who came to India before December 31, 2014, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, protesters have maintained that the law discriminates against the country’s Muslims and violates India’s Constitution.
(With Agency Inputs)
Updated 18:46 IST, January 30th 2020