New Delhi: The nationwide anti-CAA protests that started last week after the center passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Parliament continued in various parts of the country.
Student community from across the country continued to oppose the Act and are taking to the roads against it. After the Jamia Milia Islamia and Aligarh University incidents, students from more than 25 Universities have joined the protests.
The protests that initially started in the North East have spread all over the country. The Jamia incident has created chain reactions, sparking protests in various varsities throughout India against the CAA and in support of Jamia students. Students of 25 noted universities from across the country are staging protests. In Hyderabad, the students of Maulana Azad Urdu University, Osmania University and Hyderabad Central University took to the streets to protest the controversial CAA. They also pledged solidarity with the JMI students.
In Chennai, Police entered the campus of Madras University after there were protests by students demanding roll back of the CAA. They were also demanding the release of two students arrested by the police. The University management has declared holidays till December 23. The protests began yesterday and continued today with slogans, staged musical performances and non-violent demonstration.
In Delhi, a section of the Delhi University students protested against the amended citizenship law and condemned the police crackdown on Jamia Millia Islamia students. The protest was organised by the Left-backed All India Students’ Association.
In Pune, thousands of students belonging to the Fergusson College took out a rally to protest against the CAA and NRC. They also held a signature campaign against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). In Lucknow, students of Nadwa College gathered and chanted slogans like “Awaz do, hum ek hain” as the police tried to control the situation. Students of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) will be observing a peaceful protest against CAA from 5:30 PM today.
The students of Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur had announced a protest march at 2 PM on campus. Students of IIT Kanpur have said that the silent protest was disrupted by the administration of the institute citing the imposition of Section 144 in the campus. Despite revoking the permission to hold a silent protest, the students of IIT-Kanpur stood their ground and continued the protest peacefully. A section of students from Lucknow University also protested. In Gujarat, students, teachers and Gandhians gathered to protest at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
On the other hand, over 400 students and alumni from US campuses have joined the student groups in India protesting police action in JMI. Students belonging to Harvard University, Yale University, Tufts University, Stanford University, and other colleges in the United States issued a statement condemning the police brutality against students. The signatories demanded that student protestors be allowed to continue their peaceful demonstrations, without any threat or use of force by the central government.