Students give call to protest outside Assam Bhawan, detained

New Delhi: Students from various universities were detained, outside Assam Bhawan on Monday, as they called for a peaceful protest against CAA, NRC, and detention of peasant leader Akhil Gogoi, who was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) amid protests over the citizenship law and sent to 10-day NIA custody on Tuesday by a special court.

JNU Students Union (JNUSU) on Monday had called for a protest outside Assam Bhawan. However, as soon as the students came out for protests they were detained by the Delhi Police.

They were arrested from even two kilometers away, alleged the students. The protesters were taken to Mandir Marg police station. Coming alone in a pair, the students said they had no idea section 144 was imposed in the area, as they were being taken away in police cars and buses.

More than 90 students were detained and were later released, from Assam Bhawan.

Students from Delhi University, Ambedkar University and JNU had come to join the protest. Meanwhile, the police were also deployed outside Lok Kalyan Marg, and students were allegedly detained from there as well. "We are against this draconian bill that has been implemented to divide the country," said a member from SFI from inside the bus as he was whisked away to the police station.

"They are not letting us collect only, as soon as we are coming near the area, they are detaining us. But I somehow managed to run away," said a JNU student at Lok Kalyan metro station.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Sandeep Dixit had reached the spot in solidarity with the students and condemned the detention of students.

"I think it is reprehensible why are they being detained, we really don't know. Some people I know came here to protest and it's a rightful thing to protest about what's happening. In any case, the government must also realize, where the prime minister also said that he is rolling back the NRC, is merit to this agitation," Dixit told Millennium Post.

He added that the government has realized that implementing NRC and CAA is a wrong step. The protest also witnessed citizens from as far as Bangalore joining in the protest.

"We came especially from Bangalore to join the protest here," said a MNC worker from Bangalore.

As they stood waiting for the crowd to come, they were informed how the protesters are being detained. Most of the protesters immediately left as soon as they sensed the police is detaining them.

"If we are peacefully protesting, why detain us?" asked a student from JNU, who was detained. She, while shouting from inside the bus said that the authorities are scared, which is why they are not even allowing peaceful protests.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, more than 40 students were detained outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan when they were about to begin their protest against the police's action during anti-Citizenship law agitations in the state. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the issue.

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