Even as restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC are being imposed in several parts of the country, several protests have been planned against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Delhi's Jamia University, Shaheen Bagh, India Gate and Zakir Nagar today. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a day-long visit to Assam today to extend the party's solidarity to the people protesting against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Every day since the bill was passed in the parliament on December 11, thousands of people have been taking part in demonstrations, braving chilly winter temperatures to protest against the new law.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday justified his government's crackdown on agitations against the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying that the action has "shocked" every protester into silence. The tweet was a reference to the government's decision to make protesters pay up for public property destroyed in Uttar Pradesh. As many as 21 people died in violent clashes that erupted in the state.
The CAA, for the first time, makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries get citizenship if they fled to India before 2015 because of religious persecution. Critics say it discriminates against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.
