Protests continue in Delhi, Police maintain tight vigil

On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in the national capital, a number of protests against the amended Citizenship Act were held in the city even as police maintained a strict vigil and carried out a flag march in sensitive areas. A large number of people took out a 'solidarity march' in South Delhi on Sunday in support of Jamia Millia Islamia students and those facing police action during protests against the contentious law.

Protests in Delhi continue

Holding placards, people shouted 'Inquilab Zindabad' and demanded scrapping of the law during the march in Alaknanda area. A group of Jamia students also participated in the protest. Although the Delhi Police made elaborate arrangements to ensure that there was no protest around the Ramila Ground where Prime Minister Modi addressed rally, areas like Jantar Mantar, Jamia Millia, Nizammudin, and Connaught Place witnessed multiple peaceful demonstrations. In view of several violent protests against the CAA in the city in the last few days, a group of AIIMS doctors has decided to provide immediate medical attention to those injured during clashes with police personnel.

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"We will run two ambulances with doctors to provide medical facility to those protesters injured in the violent protest," Dr Ajay Verma, a psychiatrist of All India Institute Medical Sciences, said. Members of the LGBT community also hit the streets, voicing opposition against the CAA and NRC at the Jantar Mantar and expressed concern that a countrywide National Register of Citizens will lead to "exclusion" of most of them. Rituparna Borah, who hails from Assam's Lakhimpur district, said it's very difficult for the queer community to get necessary documents. "What if my parents throw me out of the house. People elope, leave their house because of violence. In such a situation, all they have is an Aadhaar card.

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In Seelampur, which was rocked by violent protests against the new legislation, and neighbouring areas, the Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel again carried out flag march. Besides the Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force has also been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure to deal with any situation. Police also reached out to people and thanked them for maintaining peace in their areas.

The protest by the students of Jamia Milia Islamia on Sunday entered its eight-day, with senior CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury joining them. He slammed the Modi government over the new law which he described as "against the Constitution". "Every religion has its holy book. The entire country has only one holy book, which is our Constitution. We will fight for the protection of our Constitution and rights...," Yechury told a gathering near Jamia Millia Islamia, stressing that protest against the contentious law should be peaceful.

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At the Jantar Mantar, people from the Northeast gathered, lamenting that the protests against the CAA were given a "Hindu-Muslim colour" and the voices from the region fighting for the rights of indigenous people ignored. The protesters, including students and civil society members, said they were deeply hurt and distressed by the police "brutality" on those against the Citizen Amendment Act, but "our protest is about our rights".

"We will not let others hijack our agenda. We are here to speak about our people. You cannot always ask one to take more people," Tripura's royal scion Pradyot Deb Barman, who is also present there, said. Hundreds of people demanding scrapping of the CAA participated at a public meeting in Delhi's Connaught Place, waving national flag and holding placards carrying couplets and catchy messages like 'Rebel with a cause - reject CAA' and 'Digital India without Internet - Shame', 'My name is Khan and I am an Indian', 'It is so bad that even engineers are here', 'Make India Democratic Again', and 'Darr ke Aage Peace hai'.

Students, doctors and artists were among the scores of people who gathered at Central Park against the law. Several AIIMS doctors wearing a stethoscope around their neck also assembled at the site where the protesters sang patriotic songs and recited poems. The protest was organised by a newly-formed group called 'Delhiites For Constitution'. On Saturday, people held peaceful demonstrations against the amended Citizenship Act at several places. The national capital had witnessed a number of violent protests over the last few days.

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On Friday, angry protesters set a car on fire, damaged several vehicles and resorted to stone-pelting near the Delhi Gate area after police personnel baton-charged them and used water cannon to disperse the crowd. Earlier in the week, violence also erupted in Northeast Delhi's Seelampur, Jafrabad and Southeast Delhi's New Friends' Colony and Jamia during which several vehicles were set on fire and public property damaged.