Update 1
Protesters gathering at Mandi House at the call given by Left parties are being detained. Telecom operators have reportedly been asked to suspend internet connectivity in parts of Delhi. The Internet shutdown has reached the capital!
LIVE BLOG: Tens of Thousands Take to the Streets Against CAA
The police in a number of States, especially those ruled by the BJP, have cracked down on the protesters, detaining any of them and in some cases, taking them to undisclosed locations.
Tens of thousands of people across the country are participating in mass protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act which was passed by parliament recently. The protests are being led by the Left parties and many other organisations and people’s movements. The police in a number of States, especially those ruled by the BJP, have cracked down on the protesters, detaining any of them and in some cases, taking them to undisclosed locations. Ahead of the protests, Section 144 of the IPC was imposed in the whole of Uttar Pradesh and in many cities.
Live blog
Update 2
Protests have already begun in many cities and the police have been extremely repressive. In Hyderabad, the Students Federation of India (SFI) said that 100 students were detained and taken to the Moinabad Police Station where they continue to protest
Update 3
People are being detained from the Mandi House which includes the senior leaders of Communist Parties.
Update 4
Protesters in Bangalore were rounded up by the police and detained.
Update 5
Congress leaders have sat on a hunger strike in Pune to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the police crackdown on students of the Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. They said the government was trying to divide the country by bringing in the new citizenship law. Several Congress functionaries, led by city party unit president Ramesh Bagve, sat on a hunger strike on Fergusson Road in the morning.
Update 6
Agitators blocked rail and road traffic during a bandh called by Left-wing student organisations in Bihar against the new citizenship law. CPI(M) activists squatted on the tracks near Laharia Sarai station in Darbhanga district, affecting movement of trains for some time. In Jehanabad, CPI(ML) activists staged a roadblock on Kako More, disrupting traffic on national highways NH 110 and 83, according to PTI.
Update 7
Mass detention of protesters from Mandi House continues. Protesters continue marching on the streets nonetheless. They are currently at Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan at Kastruba Gandhi Marg.
Update 8
According to sources, detainees have been dragged into buses and are being taken to Bawana stadium.
Update 9
Left leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, and Brinda Karat among others have been detained at Mandi House during the protest, PTI quoted officials as saying.
Update 10
Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in and around the Assembly premises in Rilbong area of Shillong to prevent any untoward incident during the Assembly session, East Khasi Hills District Magistrate M W Nongbri said. A resolution seeking implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya is expected to be tabled today during the special session of the Assembly, reported PTI.
Update 11
Hundreds of people, including students, have gathered in Chandigarh near the grounds outside the Sector 20 mosque and will take out a march. They also plan to submit a memorandum to Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore to express their resentment against the amended Citizenship Act and the NRC, reported PTI.
Update 12
Taking to Twitter, lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan said, "We were walking to Shaheed Park, but police detained us (Harsh Mander & others) at ITO. No right of peaceful protest in this country anymore under this regime?"
Update 13
Despite detentions, hundreds of protesters continue to march. They are expected to assemble at Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
Update 14
NewsClick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha has also been detained by Delhi Police. According to sources, he is also being taken to Bawana Stadium.
Update 15
Detainees from two buses, who were picked from Mandi House, have been released near the Haiderpur Badli Mor metro station in North Delhi. The detainees say that this was done in order to reduce the strength of the protesters.
Update 16
According to Newslaundry, journalists present near the Red Fort in Delhi to cover the protests are being moved away from the Fort by the police. In a video tweeted by the news portal, the police officials can be seen saying that the entry is "restricted" in order to "create an order".
Update 17
A protest is being organised by IIM Bangalore students and faculty today, at 6 pm "within the bounds of Section 144". They said in a press release, "Section 144 allows groups of 3-4 to take turns to protest. [...] At any given time only three of us are going to be outside the main gate. We will be within the bounds of Section 144 and yet register our protest against the divisive CAA-NRC, the police brutality against Jamia and AMU students, and the arbitrary imposition of "144" and arrests across the country. [...] Please note that any given time, only three of us will be on the road in front of the campus. We will take turns."
Update 18
Despite mass detentions, thousands of people are gathering at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against India's discriminatory Citizenship (Amendment) Act
Update 19
More photos from Jantar Mantar where thousands of people have gathered despite detention
Update 20
Sitaram Yechury along with Brinda Karat are back at Jantar Mantar and are addressing people who have gathered there.
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