Former Congress MLA booked for instigating violence during Jamia protest

New Delhi [India], Dec 17 (ANI): A former Congress MLA has been booked for allegedly instigating people during a protest against Citizenship Amendment Act near Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday.

Asif Khan is among the seven people who have been named in the FIR lodged at Jamia Nagar Police Station on Monday by Station House Office Upender Singh.

Other accused include members of Jamia university units of CYSS, which is student wing of AAP, AISA, SIO and other local politicians.

In the FIR, the SHO said that Khan "instigated the crowd" which set several public and private buses on fire and vandalised property around the university campus.

The complainant also said that the protesters, led by Khan and others, pelted stones on policemen on duty, injuring several of them and forcing police to fire tear gas shells.

Speaking to ANI, Khan said that he was leading the protest in a peaceful manner and regretted the violence.

"We are not rioters. I have already made it clear that no one is above the law," Khan said and maintained that he was well within in his rights to protest a law he called against secular and constitutional values.

He accused SHO Singh of threating locals and demanded a judicial inquiry into the police action against university students. "Police committed gross atrocities against the students of Jamia. An FIR should be registered against police and there should be an inquiry by a (retired) high court judge," the former legislator demanded.

At least three DTC buses were set on fire in the violence during which policemen and protestors suffered injuries.