Sitaram Yechury joins protesters as peaceful agitation outside Jamia enters 7th day

A week after violence rocked New Friends Colony and Jamia Nagar, peaceful protests outside Jamia Millia Islamia against police "brutality" and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act were still going strong, with thousands pouring onto the streets everyday.

On Sunday, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury joined the protesters, mostly students and locals, in their protest outside the university's gate number seven.

"Connecting religion to citizenship is wrong. Now people are being misled. (Home Minister) Amit Shah has been clearly associating Citizenship (Amendment) Act with NRC. The government has to step back on this issue," he said.

"The passion and energy (at Jamia) is uplifting. Old and young, men and women, all alike. They are here to secure the future of this country, for all Indians, irrespective of faith, language, region, age and gender," he posted on Twitter later.

Thousands gathered on the streets outside Jamia on Sunday, carrying eye-grabbing posters, tricolour and tambourines, and shouting slogans against the government, the amended citizenship law and the proposed nationwide National Registry of Citizens (NRC).

Women took to songs and poetry of resistance as they continued to take the lead in the protests. Schoolchildren as young as eight-year-old have been participating in the protest since Monday.

Civil society members distributed pamphlets, urging protesters to maintain peace. The organisers also warned them against using "negative" slogans against anyone.

This is the seventh day of protests outside the university after more than 50 Jamia students were injured in a police crackdown following violence during a demonstration on December 15.