Protests against CAA, NRC continue in T'gana; hundreds taken

Scores of protesters, including those of Left parties and students of University of Hyderabad, were taken into preventive custody here on Thursday when they tried to hold protest rallies against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Police said there was no permission for any rally in support or against the CAA in Hyderabad though Left parties and various people's organisations held demonstrations in the state.

CPI national secretary K Narayana, party's Telangana state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) chief M Kodandaram were among 350 people taken into preventive custody.

"Despite rejection of their (CPI) application for holding the protest rally, they insisted on taking it out, saying they had already given a call in this regard following which police foiled their attempts to hold any rally," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) P Viswa Prasad told PTI.

Alleging that the CAA was against the spirit of Constitution, Narayana claimed that the CAB was passed in parliament on the back of BJP's numerical strength.

"Ours is a secular state. We are opposing this because it is against the spirit of Constitution and principles of secularism," he said.

The Left parties, Muslim and other people's organisations took out rallies at different places across Telangana.

A large number of police personnel were deployed near the historic Charminar here to prevent any untoward incidents even as over 50 people, including around 20 women, were taken into preventive custody, police said.

DCP Avinash Mohanty advised citizens not to believe rumours on social media or messages disseminated by any other mode that permission has been granted for a rally and urging people to particiapte in protest against CAA.

"This is false. Police has not given permission to anyone," he told repporters.

Around 100 students of University of Hyderabad, who planned to take part in a protest rally, were also taken into preventive custody outside the varsity's campus and taken near a police station where they read preamble of the Constitution of India.

They raised slogans like "Samvidhan par hamla nahi chalega" (Attack on Constitution will not be allowed).

Later in the evening, some students of the UoH held a protest inside the campus,accusing the Telangana government of forcefully suppressing democratic protests across the state.

The city has been witnessing sporadic protests by various organisations including students and political parties against the CAA for the past few days.

They have also been protesting the police crackdown against Jamia Milia University students in Delhi.