Several citizens staged a protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Speaking to the media, Asif Pawar, a resident of Ahmedabad, said: "The protest is against the violence which has been carried out by the government against the students in various parts of the country. They had peacefully asked for an answer, yet the police brutally beat up the students."
He further stated that the people will not bow down to the government and continue the protest against the Act.
"The students of the country are not safe anywhere. Once the British had divided the country, now Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are trying to divide the nation again," he alleged.
Another protester stated that the government is working against the students.
Some of the protesters were later taken into police custody for taking out protest against the police's orders.
Earlier, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Ashish Bhatia told ANI: "We have deployed police in each area. No permission has been granted for any rally or protests. We will take strict action against those who attempt to disrupt the peace."
He further stated that so far the situation in Ahmedabad was peaceful.
The Parliament had passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, last week and it became an Act after receiving assent from President Ram Nath Kovind.
Since then, protests have erupted in various parts of the country, including the North East over the amended citizenship law.
On Sunday, a violent clash had erupted between the Delhi Police and students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University, leaving several injured.
The Citizenship Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
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