Students read the preamble of the Constitution at India Gate, New Delhi, on Monday.
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) Protests: Fresh protests erupted outside Jamia Millia Islamia metro station on Monday, a day after the police crackdown on the university students. People were heard shouting slogans against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and also set effigies afire. This comes as students from IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad, IISc Bangalore, Mumbai University, Delhi University and other deemed institutions stood in support of the students of Jamia who were assaulted by police while they were protesting against the amended Citizenship Act yesterday.
Authorities at Jamia Millia Islamia University on Monday termed Sunday’s police crackdown against its students as a “war-like situation” and demanded a high-level probe into the incident. The Federation of Central Universities’ Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) also demanded a judicial enquiry into the matter to be done by a sitting judge.
As many as 50 students, who were detained during protests at the Jamia Millia Islamia University against the contentious law in the national capital, were released in the wee hours of Monday. While 35 of them were released were the Kalkaji police station, the remaining 15 were released from New Friends Colony. Over 100 people, including students, policemen and firefighters were injured, after cops lobbed teargas shells inside the college campus, forced their way in, and allegedly dragged students out of the library and the mosque, and assaulted them. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for a mega rally in Kolkata to protest against the citizenship law.
An injured protester being taken away, in New Delhi on Sunday. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)
While campuses saw demonstrations during the day, the action shifted to India Gate in the afternoon, with groups of people gathering to read out the Preamble to the Constitution. The air resonated with the slogans of “Delhi Police down down”. Read here
A day after it entered Jamia campus, police stopped young men heading to protest site, took down their names, addresses and contact numbers.
Students and alumni from the National Law University expressed solidarity with students from Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and other university students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. 'We strongly believe in the critical importance of freedom of expression of the student protesters, particularly in a university space where students are taught to think and critically analyse social structures, legal instruments and political power. This is a right that needs to be preserved for the continued sustenance of India as a democracy and a nation that has historically provided a fertile ground for different ideologies and views. We condemn the police action in entering the campuses of Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University and violent suppression of students within the hostel and library buildings,' a statement issued by the students said.
Referring to Sonia Gandhi's attack on the NDA government for crackdown on university students and anti-CAA protesters, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Sonia Gandhi is shedding crocodile tears for students. "Indira Gandhi had sent students to Tihar," she added.
Student protesters gathered in IISC, Bengaluru Town Hall and other colleges to show solidarity with their counterparts in Delhi.
Local cable TV networks and internet services in Aligarh to remain shut till Tuesday 10 pm. Schools and colleges will resume regular classes from Thursday onwards.
Former Indian cricket team seamer Irfan Pathan expressed concern after several students of Jamia Millia Islamia were injured in a police lathicharge during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The injured students were taken to a nearby hospital in South Delhi.
“Political blame game will go on forever but I and our country is concerned about the students of #JamiaMilia #JamiaProtest,” Pathan wrote on Twitter. Read more
From the Supreme Court to Kolkata’s Esplanade, from Banaras Hindu University to IIT-Madras, the vortex of the amended Citizenship Act found resonance across the country on Monday, a day after police crackdown on students at Jamia Milia Islamia left over 100 people, including students, policemen and firefighters, injured.
Meanwhile, fresh protests erupted outside Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), with agitators raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and burning effigies. Read the day's HIGHLIGHTS here
Here's how student protests panned out across India on Monday.
Hundreds of students from various organisations protesting against CAB in solidarity with Jamia Millia Islamia University and Delhi University students at Savitribai Phule Pune University on Monday. (Express photos and videos by Arul Horizon)
Normal services resume at all metro stations: DMRC
Protests against Citizenship Amendment Act continue in Bengaluru. Students from various colleges gather together to express dissent against CAA, NRC and ‘police brutality’ against students of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi.
A protester holding a placard standing near the Jamia metro station. (Express photo)
As the protesting crowd at Jamia station tries to push ahead, a group of students from Jamia Millia Islamia try to stop them, urging to find innovative ways to register dissent in a more effective manner. Students urging people to return to their homes and clear the area.
Fresh protests erupt outside Jamia Millia Islamia metro station.
Attacking the BJP-led NDA government over the crackdown on university students and anti-CAA protesters, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi said the Narendra Modi government has started a war on the country and its people.
In a statement, Gandhi said, “A government’s work is to maintain peace and harmony, to run law and order and save protect the Constitution. But the BJP government has launched an attack on the country and its people.” Read more
Entry and exit gates of Lok Kalyan Marg, Janpath Metro stations closed: DMRC.
Fresh protests erupt outside Jamia Millia Islamia metro station. Sloganeering heard against the prime minister and home minister. Effigies set afire.
JUST IN: HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' appeals for calm.
The students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Monday issued a statement in solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Monday led a sit-in protest at India Gate against police action on students in universities.
Police stopping youngsters returning from the protest site at Jamia. This is in front of Sukhdev Vihar station. Police asking them to produce IDs and jotting down the names.
Metro Update: Entry and exit gates of Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan are closed. Trains will not be halting at Patel Chowk and Udyog Bhawan.
Prominent names from the film fraternity, including director Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Konkona Sensharma and Sudhir Mishra on Monday condemned the police crackdown on students of Jamia Milia while accusing the government of trying to stifle the voices of dissent against Citizenship Amendment Act.
“This has gone too far.. can’t stay silent any longer. This government is clearly fascist .. and it makes me angry to see voices that can actually make a difference stay quiet,” he wrote on Twitter.
Other voices from the film industry also condemned the police action inside the Jamia University. Actor Taapsee Pannu said the videos of police action inside the campus were heartbreaking. “Wonder if this is a start or the end. Whatever it is, this is surely writing new rules of the land and those who don’t fit in can very well see the consequences. This video breaks heart and hopes all together. Irreversible damage, and I’m not talking about just the life and property,” she tweeted. Read more
The Federation of Central Universities' Teachers' Associations (FEDCUTA) holding a press conference at Jamia says they demand a judicial enquiry into the matter to be done by a sitting judge.
Anurag Kashyap on Jamia incident, "This has gone too far.. can’t stay silent any longer . This government is clearly fascist .. and it makes me angry to see voices that can actually make a difference stay quiet .."
Students at IISc Bangalore raise posters in various languages next to main building opposing Citizenship Amendment Act and in solidarity with students of Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Jamia Milia Islamia incident: Government has attacked the Constitution and the students. They attacked students after entering university. We will fight for the Constitution, we will fight against this government.
The entry and exit gates of Jamia Millia Islamia metro station are closed. Trains will not be halting at this station.
Delhi Police PRO, MS Randhawa: Around 30 police personnel received injuries, 2 SHO suffered fractures, one of our personnel is in ICU. Two FIRs have been registered for rioting and arsoning. Crime Branch will investigate the matter from all angles.
Police also refuted rumours going around on social media, saying that no bus was torched by police, no casualities took place in yesterday's incident, and police did not open fire on the students.
Police also said they are under negotiation with students unions and teachers.
Delhi Police Monday issued a statement on the incidents of violence that took place in the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia on Sunday.
Delhi Police PRO, MS Randhawa, said, "Yesterday around 2 pm protest happened, locals also participated, our staff showed maximum restraint despite provocations. Around 4:30 pm some protesters went towards Mata Mandir marg and set a bus on fire."
"There are a lot of rumours going around over this incident (violence near Jamia), I appeal to everyone especially students to not believe in rumours. Action will be taken against whoever is involved in this incident."
Hundreds of students poured into the streets outside the Jamia Millia University on Monday morning to protest the police action against their colleagues a day earlier. The protesters included women students from several states. Local residents and some guardians also came out in the support of protesting students. A group of students stood shirtless in the bone-chilling cold outside the university gates in the morning as gusts of icy, cold wind felt like blows on their bare bodies. Others formed a human chain in huge numbers to protest against the "police brutality". Slogans of "Inquilab Zindabad" rent the air as protesting students took out a march, demanding a CBI inquiry into the "police brutality". Carrying a tricolour, students clapped and raised slogans against the central government and the Delhi Police. "This government is anti-minority, anti-students, anti-poor. We won't tolerate this. Won't keep mum," they said in unison.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences' students protest against the police crackdown in Delhi on Monday. (Express photo/Abha Goradia)
Nadwatul Ulama students protests in Lucknow on Monday. (Express photo/Vishal Srivastav)
"The need of the hour is for all of us to work together for the development of India and the empowerment of every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised. We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance," the Prime Minister tweeted.
In the wake of incessant protests across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act are unfortunate and deeply distressing. Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos. The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed by both Houses of Parliament with overwhelming support. Large number of political parties and MPs supported its passage. This Act illustrates India’s centuries old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood. I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. 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."
Several Delhi University students on Monday boycotted exams and held protests to express solidarity with students of Jamia Millia and AMU protesting against the amended Citizenship Act, PTI reported.. Sources said students from the English department of the varsity had written to their professors on Sunday night to postpone exams owing to the situation in Jamia but their request could not be considered. A source said the students were told that since the exams are at the fag end a decision on their postponement was not possible. Also, the varsity can only take a call to postpone exams and not the respective department, the sources said. s from taking exams and police were there keeping a watch. "We were at the campus just to keep a watch as some students were stopping others from taking exams," said Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).
Students from three prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) joined the chorus against the police crackdown on the Jamia Millia Islamia and the Aligarh Muslim University students. The premiere institutions -- IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras and IIT Bombay -- are not the regular ones to join protests and usually stay away from agitations. "They struck down the students' retaliation at Jadavpur University. We didn't respond. They hiked the MTech fee, we didn't respond. Manhandled the student protesters at JNU, we didn't respond. And now its JMI and AMU. Our commitment towards the students' community is under huge jeopardy if we don't respond now. Therefore let's come together for a campus-wide march in solidarity with students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University," a poster by students from IIT Kanpur read.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "I don't know what happened at Jamia last night. We must be wary of jihadists, Maoists, separatists getting into student protests."
Expressing concerns over the "deteriorating law and order situation" in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "I am very worried about the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi. To ensure immediate peace, I have asked Home Minister Amit Shah to take out some time to meet me."
Jamia public relations officer Ahmed Azeem termed Sunday's violence as a "war-like situation". "I can only appeal to our students not to join the protests outside," the vice-chancellor said.
Speaking on Sunday's violence, Jamia registrar A P Siddiqui told reporters, "Both on Friday as well as yesterday, local elements were involved in the protest but the police didn't use any distinction when they started their action. That's why miscreants escaped and our students had to pay for it. We are not using force to ask students to vacate their hostels, but we are facilitating it, because we could not save them in the library."
"The road in front of our campus should be given to Jamia. Some bypass road should be made for the general public. We need this road to make our campus safe. Jamia should neither be targetted nor should it be maligned. It's a peaceful university borne out of the national movement," the vice-chancellor said.
Jamia Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar said, "We will file an FIR against police entry into our university. Property aap bana sakte hain but bachche jis cheez se guzre hain, use wapas nahi bana sakte (You can repair the damaged property but cannot take back the sufferings of the students). We demand a high-level enquiry to be set up in the matter. We will speak to the HRD minister about this. The atrocities against the students, especially inside the library who were sitting and studying, is not acceptable. Is there a rule like this being made for all universities, that police can enter without permission?"
"A lot of our university property has been damaged. There has been a massive loss. Who will compensate for this? What will happen to the emotional loss we have suffered, the students have suffered? Who will be responsible for this? We want to appeal to not believe rumours or spread them because it tarnishes our image. This was the only peaceful university," the vice-chancellor said.
Addressing reporters in the national capital, Jamia Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar said, "On Friday, we had told police not to put barricades out the gate of the varsity. All of us were sitting and holding a meeting yesterday on the campus. The registrar was in contact with the police. But they entered without asking us, without taking permission from us. Our library was open - students were working. The property was damaged. The way students were made to feel scared is not acceptable to us."
Jamia authorities are briefing reporters on Sunday's violence in the national capital.
Twenty-one people have been arrested in connection with Sunday's clash at Aligarh Muslim University, SSP Akash Kulhary said, PTI reported. He added that 25-30 per cent of the hostels have been vacated, while the rest are expected to be vacated by this evening.
Sit-in protests continue in IISC in Bengaluru. Organisers say protests will continue in different forms till 5 pm after which an in-campus march will be held. (Express photo)
Jamaat-e-Islami Hindi, an Islamic organisation, also condemned the police action against the Jamia students. In a statement today, the body's president Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said, "All this blatant violence was carried out without the permission of the university authorities." Also referring to the violence at Aligarh Muslim University, the body said, "We demand an independent judicial probe of this incident and punitive action against errant police personnel. We express our solidarity with the student community who are fighting for their constitutionally guaranteed democratic right of dissent and urge all justice-loving citizens of our country to support the students of JMI, AMU and others in their fight for justice."
On incidents of stone-pelting in Lucknow's Nadwatul Ulama college, DGP OP Singh told PTI, "Some students of Nadwatul Ulama here tried to protest and hurled stones from inside. They were prevented and no one is allowed to come outside the campus." He added that no one was injured in the protest. "Senior officers including District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police are on the spot," he said.
The Delhi Minorities Commission today sought information from the students and others injured in the Jamia protests.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Sunday lashed out at the Centre for the police action on the students of Jamia Milia Islamia and said the government cannot rule this country based on Sangh agenda. Stating that the Indian Constitution gives equal rights to all the communities to live in the country, he said, “I do not need to take lessons on it from Sangh Parivar, it is in my blood.” Talking to indianexpress.com, Azad said he was the rakshak (guard) of the Constitution and wanted the protesters to know that he was sitting there to protect their democratic right to protest. “I am not a Dalit neta, I stand with the Constitution. When any force goes against this Constitution and resort to atrocities on anybody, I stand with the oppressed… (today) I stand with Jamia,” he said. “Just as the students were beaten up in JNU before, this time, its Jamia… So, I am here to let them know I am here to protect their right to protest. This is their democratic right and I won’t let it be curbed.”
In a late-night appeal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged people to maintain peace and harmony and eschew rumours, after protests broke out in certain parts of the state, including at Aligarh Muslim University. According to PTI, in a statement past Sunday midnight, Adityanath said, 'People should not pay any attention to the rumours about Citizenship Amendment Act being spread by some vested interests.' He also said the state government was committed to provide security to every citizen of the state. 'For this, it is necessary that everyone follows the law. Nobody will be allowed to disturb the atmosphere of peace in the state,' he said.
Maulana Azad National Urdu University students protests against the citizenship law in Hyderabad.
In Bengaluru, the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) will stage a protest in Town Hall at 4 pm. Meanwhile, protests are underway at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.).
In Lucknow, incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Nadwa college. A heavy police force has been deployed outside the campus.
"The CAB and NRC are weapons of mass polarisation unleashed by fascists on India. The best defence against these dirty weapons is peaceful, non-violent Satyagraha. I stand in solidarity with all those protesting peacefully against the CAB and NRC," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
Union minister of state for home affairs G Kishan Reddy told reporters, "I condemn the violence in the national capital. There should be peaceful protests. You should not indulge in violence and property destruction."