Protest against CAA continues to rock India
New Delhi: Police and paramilitary personnel were put on alert, even as the scale of protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act showed a decline across the country on Wednesday.
Chief Minister of Bengal Mamta Banerjee, continuing her protest march for the third consecutive day attacked the Centre saying: "BJP wants to turn the entire country into a detention centre but we will not let that happen." Her protest march on Wednesday began from Howrah Maidan which culminated at Dorina Crossing at Esplanade in the heart of Kolkata.
There was no fresh incident of violence reported in West Bengal and Assam also remained calm.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed in Karnataka including in the capital city of Bengaluru. "Section 144 will be imposed for the next three days. Starting 6 am on Thursday till midnight on December 21," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said.
In Madras University, a section of students continued their protest for the third day and were supported by Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan, who came to the campus to express his solidarity with them. However, he was not allowed to enter the main campus and spoke to the agitating students from behind the main gate of the university, opposite the Marina Beach.
Left parties have announced that they will hold a nationwide protest against the act as well as the NRC on Thursday with CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury issuing a statement on behalf the CPI(ML)-Liberation, CPI, AIFB and RSP and called on all district committees in all states to mobilise workers to protest against what they dubbed as the "unconstitutional moves" of the government.
In Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, a demonstration against the law turned violent with police using mild force to disperse agitators who pelted stones, prompting the authorities to suspend Internet services for 48 hours, officials said. In Guwahati, where the protests had seen several people getting injured, a group of hearing and speech-impaired, including a pageant winner joined an anti-CAA march.
