CAA protests: Paramilitary forces, drones deployed in UP for Friday prayers

All districts in Uttar Pradesh have been put on high alert ahead of the Friday prayers on December 27 in the backdrop of ongoing protests against the amended citizenship Act.

It must be mentioned that violence erupted in several districts last week on Friday, amid the raging protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The order from the Director-General of Police (DGP) asked all the districts to be vigilant during the Friday prayers. Senior police officials have been asked to keep an eye on important Mosques.

The order also says that foot-patrolling and flag-march should be carried out in all the districts.

Paramilitary force personnel and state police force have been deployed, and drone cameras are being used to ensure security on Friday, Gorakhpur District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan said.

Speaking on the Friday Prayers, Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, executive member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said: "The day is considered the most important day of the week. I would appeal to people to pray for the safety and security of our nation, and that our demands would be met quickly by the government. The people should also pray that the love and peace between all religions of the country should remain unharmed."

According to the police, a total of 1,113 have been arrested in different parts of the state in connection with the anti-CAA protests.

Protests erupted in several parts of the country last week, including Uttar Pradesh, over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists, and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

Section-144, prohibiting the assembly of more than four people in an area, was imposed in various parts of the state in view of the law and order situation.