3 dead in Mangaluru, Lucknow as CAA protests rage on
New Delhi: Violence made its presence felt in some places as Thursday witnessed concerted efforts by the anti-CAA camp to bring national and international attention to their fight against the controversial law. Protesters from a wide social and political spectrum joined forces as protest marches and meets were organised at many places across the country on Thursday.
Almost all the major cities — Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram and Hyderabad saw protesters on the streets despite substantial police presence and the imposition of prohibitory orders at several places.
Some of the worst protest-related violence took place In Uttar Pradesh, where media persons were attacked and OB vans were razed in Lucknow. Similar acts of violence and arson were reported from places such as Sambhal in the state, which has a BJP government at the helm.
The protesters torched a state-run bus at Parivartan Chowk, close to the District Magistrate's office and set on fire a police post in Satkhanda area. The violence against the amended law led to panic among residents and forced traders in many markets, including the busy Hazratganj area, to shut their shops. Police have also detained several persons, including Magsaysay award winner and social activist Sandeep Pandey.
Glimpses from different parts showed large areas strewn with brickbats, bearing the signs of the clashes between the police and the agitators. Many stone-pelters had their faces covered with masks or handkerchiefs. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath blamed the Opposition for the violence.
In yet another BJP-ruled state, Karnataka, protests were by and large peaceful and orderly. Section 144 has been put in place in Bengaluru and other parts of the state from Thursday morning to December 21. Prominent among those detained by the police in Bengaluru include eminent historian Ramachandra Guha.
Police fired teargas shells and carried out a baton charge to disperse 100 anti-CAA protesters who allegedly turned violent, set a few motorbikes on fire and pelted stones on the security forces in Karnataka's Mangaluru, a police official said on Thursday.
Hundreds of college students and cadres of the Left organisations and minority institutions staged protests and held sit-in demonstrations in the Karnataka port city against the CAA and sought its repeal at the earliest.
In Bengal, under the leadership of Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee, the protests were a big show of strength for the ruling party which has been fiercely opposing the controversial Act. Mamata has sought a referendum on the law.
Maharashtra also witnessed protests in Mumbai and several other places in the state. In the financial capital, the biggest procession was held at the historic August Kranti Maidan which saw a large number of celebs and political leaders like Raj Babbar, Naseem Khan, Milind Deora, Eknath Gaikwad, film personalities — Saeed Mirza, Suhasini Mulay, Farhan Akhtar and Sushant Singh; academicians, social workers, representatives of NGOs, students and many more sitting in protest against the CAA.
Nagpur, which is the headquarters of the RSS, also witnessed a big protest march by the citizens' groups.
Other places that saw anti-CAA protests include Rajasthan, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram.
In Rajasthan, protests were held in several districts including Jaipur where thousands belonging to the Left parties, lawyers fraternity, CIPU, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), civil society, teachers, professors and many other organisations came together to take out a massive protest march against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
