LIVE: Give Citizenship Act a chance, Amit Shah appeals to students

The protests against Citizenship Amendment Act intensified in New Delhi as thousands of people gathered at Jantar Mantar and Assam Bhawan to call an end to 'religious profiling'

6:02 PM

Day curfew lifted, night curfew to stay in Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma

MLA Himanta Biswa Sarma from Jalukbari constituency said that the government has lifted day time curfew in Guwahati, but curfew during the night will remain imposed till further review of the situation. 

Sarma said that in Assam the police have registered 136 cases of vandalism and other related crimes. He added that police have, so far, arrested 190 individuals in connection with the protests regarding Citizenship Amendment Act in Guwahati and in the entire state. 

5:35 PM

DMRC update: Entry & exit gates of Lok Kalyan Marg and Janpath are closed.

5:13 PM

MHA issues advisory on Citizenship Amendment Act protests across the nation

Citizenship to illegal immigrants belonging to Hindu, five other communities to be given only after fulfilling required criteria: MHA.

Ministry of Home Affairs asks all states, Union Territories to contain violence, ensure safety of life and prevent damage of property during anti-CAA protests. 

5:08 PM

People benefiting from the Citizenship Amendment Act to be clear after framing of rules: report

According to ANI quoting MHA sources, number of people who will be benefited by Citizenship Amendment Act will be clear after framing of rules; rules to be framed soon.

4:36 PM

DMRC update: Entry & exit gates of Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan are closed.

4:34 PM

Priyanka at India Gate, protests against police action

Priyanka Vadra along with other Congress leaders begin protest at India Gate against police action on Jamia Millia, Aligarh Muslim University students.

Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra & other Congress leaders sit on a symbolic protest near India Gate over police action during students' protests in Jamia Milia Islamia (Delhi) & Aligarh Muslim University. pic.twitter.com/eoFjaMzWLF

— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2019

4:20 PM

Priyanka Vadra, other congress leaders to sit on a symbolic protest at India Gate

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a press brief said, This is a government that has attacked the rights of youths & students of the country. That is why, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra & other senior Congress leaders have decided to sit on a symbolic protest at the India Gate from 4 pm, for the next 2 hours.

3:43 PM

Sitharaman says must be wary of jihadists, Maoists, separatists getting into student activism

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cautioned against "jihadist, Maoist and separatist" elements getting into student activism, and asserted protests fanned across the country will not derail the economic agenda.

 

The remarks come in the light of continued protests across many universities in the last few days following the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Sitharaman said she is not aware of what happened at New Delhi's Jamia Milia Islamia last night.

 

She hit out strongly against the “misguided” Congress party for backing "fringe groups" at universities which have shown Maoist or separatist tendencies.

3:23 PM

Entry and exit gates of Jamia Millia Islamia metro station closed; trains will not be halting there: DMRC

3:23 PM

Jamia violence to be investigated, says Delhi Police, cautions people against rumours

The Delhi Police's crime branch will investigate the Jamia violence and people should not pay any heed to social media rumours, Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa said on Monday.

 

Randhawa maintained that police used "maximum restraint, minimum force" despite being "provoked" by protesters.

 

"There was no firing, there have been no casualties in Jamia violence. The crime branch will investigate Jamia violence. Thorough investigation will be done and accountability will be fixed," he said at a press conference.

 

"Four DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes were damaged during the violence. One policeman is in the ICU," he added.

 

Randhawa said the police is keeping a watch on social media.

3:03 PM

CPI-M and Congress jointly protest against CAA in Kerala

The Kerala political canvas is seeing a rare instance when top leaders of the ruling CPM-led Left and the rival Congress-led UDF jointly protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led the Left, while the opposition and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala led the UDF when the protest started at the Martyrs Column here on Monday.

 

Vijayan has reiterated his stand that the CAA will not be implemented in the state.

 

"The sound that has come from Kerala is we will not allow the secularism stand of ours to be diluted in any way. All this is the work of the RSS to convert India into a religion-based country. At no cost would this be allowed to take place and in Kerala, we just cannot accept it and under no circumstances would it be allowed to be implemented here," said Vijayan.

 

Chennithala said that this is not what the country needs and the basic tenets of the Constitution have been questioned through the CAA.

 

"The media has been silenced as it's now owned by corporates, whose only agenda is pro-government. The stage is such that today it's Amit Shah who decides who is going to be an Indian citizen. Our Constitution is one of the best in the world and every institution in the country is a by-product of it and today, one by one these institutions are being destroyed," said Chennithala.

3:00 PM

Few powers from outside Bengal, acting as friends of Muslim community, indulged in arson and vandalism: Mamata

Few powers from outside Bengal, acting as friends of Muslim community, indulged in arson and vandalism, says Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

2:59 PM

4 DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes damaged during Jamia violence: Delhi Police

2:59 PM

Police used maximum restraint despite provocation by protesters: Delhi Police spokesperson on Jamia violence

2:45 PM

No Indian citizen will be affected by amended citizenship law: PM Modi

As protests by students against the new citizenship law engulf various parts of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the legislation does not affect any citizen of any religion in the country.

 

In a series of tweets, Modi said groups with vested interests cannot be allowed to divide and create disturbances in the country.

 

"No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act. This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India," he said.