Hundreds of protesters, including noted historian Ramchandra Guha were detained in Bengaluru, Kalaburagi and Shivamogga across Karnataka for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment.
The protesters were singing and chanting “Azaadi” at Townhall in Bengaluru and many were removed by the police and loaded into buses. Many protesting women were also taken away by the police for detention. The protesters were seen sloganeering from inside the buses as they were being taken for detention.
Here are the latest updates:
People take out rally despite prohibitory orders
Despite prohibitory orders and the administration’s efforts to quell protests, thousands of people took to the streets and took out multiple rallies and staged several demonstrations at different locations in Kalaburagi on Thursday protesting against Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
People take out rally despite prohibitory orders
Internet services in Mangaluru suspended
Home Department Addition Chief Secretary issues notification prohibiting mobile internet data services in Mangaluru for the next 48 hours.
Deputy Commissioner of Belagavi S.B. Bommanahalli has appointed 13 officers as Special Executive Magistrates in view of the possible protests against CAA/NRC across the district for the next few days.
Each officer has been made in-charge of one taluk, except Belagavi. The operations would be monitored by Police Commissioner Lokesh Kumar and Mr. Bommanahalli.
Authorities have clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 across the district and the city till Dec. 24th.
Two persons injured in Mangaluru
Two persons reportedly sustained bullet injuries when police opened fire on persons who allegedly attempted to set fire to Mangaluru North (Bunder) Police Station on Thursday afternoon.
(This update has been revised)
Educational institutes at Mangaluru city to remain closed on December 20
All schools and colleges in Mangaluru city will remain closed on Friday. Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B. Rupesh has issued an order to this effect.
Mangaluru protests turn violent
Police burst teargas shells in Mangaluru as protest turns violent near the office of Deputy Commissioner. Police caned and dispersed a group of people who had gathered near the office of Deputy Commissioner on Thursday noon defying the prohibitory orders.
A group of youth shouted anti-CAA slogans near the office of Deputy Commissioner and tried to stage a protest.
Police later took some of them into custody. No untoward incidents were reported.
CM appeals to maintain peace and calm
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddiyurappa has urged and appealed to all political parties, leaders and people in general to maintain calm on the CAA issue.
Speaking to the media at his home office, Krishna, he said, CAA is no threat to the people of this country. It is only an act applied to the people from other countries who seek citizenship. CAA does not discriminate people on the basis of religion. Citizenship is accorded on the basis of their nationality and not on the basis of religion or caste.
He claimed that Opposition parties and leaders who are opposing this are doing it with a political intention and people of this country are intelligent to understand their motive.
Citizenship Amendment Act is a national Act. CAA is a constitutional provision, there is no question of states rejecting it. As a member of the federal set up, every state is bound by the constitution, he said.
Ramachandra Guha detained
Noted historian Ramachandra Guha and many others were detained on Thursday for staging a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC at the Town Hall here, in defiance of the prohibitory orders imposed in the city.
Police said the protesters violated prohibitory orders clamped in the city against any protest or demonstration.
Reacting to his detention, Guha said it was, “absolutely undemocratic” that police were not allowing even a peaceful protest, which is the democratic right of the citizens.
Security beefed up in Bengaluru
As many as 40 platoons of Reserve Police force have been deployed along with the city police at sensitive points to maintain law and order. Prohibitory orders came into place on Wednesday evening and organisations have been banned from staging protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Police personnel have been deployed at Mysore Bank Circle and Town Hall, where protests had been planned on Thursday. Some organisations, which did not want to be named, said they would go ahead with the protests. WhatsApp messages have also been doing the rounds, urging citizens to lend their support and gather at Town Hall.. “We will be peaceful… Please turn up,” read one such message.
“Senior police officers are monitoring the situation closely. No untoward incident has been reported so far,” a senior police officer said.
Video: Security beefed up after imposition of Sec-144 in Bengaluru
Jurisdictional police had intensified patrolling in the area, while traffic police and home guards had been deployed at the parking zones to ensure that people did not gather in groups unnecessarily, said a senior police officer.
Policemen on duty have been provided with cameras to record any untoward incidents, including raising of slogans.
Protests put off in Mysuru
In Mysuru, the protest planned by various organisations at the Town Hall on Thursday has been put off in the wake of the imposition of prohibitory orders.
The Socialist Democratic Party of India, one of the organisations calling the protest, issued a statement on Wednesday evening in this regard. SDPI leader Abdul Majeed said the protest would be held at a later date, which would be announced.
100 detained in Kalaburagi
In Kalaburagi, around 100 people were detained by police. In the morning, over a thousand people associated with various Left, Dalit, Muslim and progressive organisations came together under the banner of People's Forum and assembled at Nagareshwar School in the city to take out a protest march. However, police denied them permission, citing the imposition of Section 144 of the Cr. PC. A verbal clash between the protesters and police led to the detention of around 100 people. The police are trying to disperse the people.
Having imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr. PC in Mangaluru City Commissionerate limits from Thursday, police commissioner P.S. Harsha said police were keeping a close watch on social media platforms to check spread of hate/communal/provocative messages. Admins of such groups would be booked under relevant provisions, he cautioned. “People sitting here and receiving such messages from across the border too would be booked,” Dr. Harsha said.
Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Dharwad district from December 18 to 21. The orders follow a bandh call given by political parties to protest against the CAA, stated a release.
Protesters plan to assemble at the Hemavati Statue Circle around 11 a.m. in Hassan despite prohibitory orders.
(With inputs from Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dharwad and Hassan)
