Students, locals stage protest in Bhopal against CAA, NRC

Students of different colleges in the Madhya Pradesh capital and groups of citizens staged a protest in Old City on Monday against the police crackdown on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for opposing the proposed implementation of the new citizenship law.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP also announced a protest on Tuesday at all the district headquarters in Madhya Pradesh for immediate implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The new act grants citizenship to persecuted religious minorities who have come to India until December 31, 2014 from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, excluding Muslims.

Asma, a student of Motilal Vigyan Mahavidyalaya (MVM) in Bhopal who mobilised the students, said in evening that they have planned the dharna in the Maidan from 4 pm to 8 pm.

She claimed at least 1500 students from various colleges in Bhopal have joined the peaceful agitation.

At the ground, the students can be seen holding placards against the CAA and NRC and raising slogans for their withdrawal.

Police personnel have been deployed at the spot to prevent any untoward incident.

The protest has been peaceful so far.

"I cannot say how long this protest will continue. Maybe, it may last for the entire night, given the support of citizens," Asma said.

She alleged that the voices opposing the proposed implementation of "unconstitutional" CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) are being suppressed.

"We are opposing the crackdown by the police on the students of Jamia Millia in Delhi and of AMU in Aligarh. We demand judicial probe and action against officials guilty of attacking the students," she said and demanded that the CAA and NRC be withdrawn.

On the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, another protest was held at the Iqbal Maidan against the police crackdown and in opposition to the CAA and the NRC.

Congress leader Abdul Nafees, who led that agitation, condemned the police action on the protesting Jamia students.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has announced that party leaders will meet Governor Lalji Tandon on Tuesday demanding immediate implementation of the CAA in the state.

"A delegation of state unit BJP president Rakesh Singh, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other senior leaders will submit a memorandum to the governor demanding implementation of the CAA," said a BJP spokesman.

A march will be taken out from Roshanpura area, he said, adding that protests will be held at all the district headquarters for immediate implementation of the new citizenship law.

Police and JMI students protesting against the amended Citizenship Act had clashed on Mathura Road in southeast Delhi on Sunday evening.

Similar clashes occurred between AMU students and police in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.