Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 and the National Register of Citizens broke out in different parts of the city, with Mecca Masjid witnessing the largest gathering after Friday prayers.
Amid heavy security, and what seemed a spontaneous protest, a crowd of around 1,200 people gathered outside the historic mosque soon after Friday prayers, which began around 1 pm. The crowd assembled near the gate and then a section of the protesters raised slogans against the CAA and NRC. Protesters began to clap and cheer one another and also raised religious slogans.
When the protesters did not move away from the gate, police pushed them towards Shalibanda where the protesters dispersed. Several people were taken into preventive detention.
Protests broke out at the Darul Shifa Masjid with a gathering of around 200 people. However, Maulana Mohammed Husamuddin Sami Jafar Pasha told the protesters to return home over public address system. “The men who are standing outside, I request you, you have registered your protest. Return to your respective homes,” he said.
Simultaneously, protests broke out in Amberpet, where around 300 people raised slogans such as ‘Hindustan Zindabad, Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Hindu Muslim, hum ek hain’. They also raised slogans against CAA and NRC. The protesters claimed that the city police were cooperative and said the protest was peaceful.
In Humayun Nagar, opposite the Masjid-e-Azizia, protesters gathered by the dozen. Here too slogans against the NRC and CAA were raised.
A silent protest was organised near the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex as well. In Banjara Hills too, a march was organised from a local mosque. Protesters were seen marching on Road no 7.
Speaking to The Hindu, Avinash Mohanty, in-charge Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Zone, said the situation in the old city was peaceful and there were no instances of violence. He dismissed rumours of stone pelting. Touching upon the number of people who were detained, he said, “So far we have detained 14 people. There have been no major or minor incidents of violence.”
Meanwhile, protests at the Maulana Azad National Urdu University continued. Students held banners criticising the Centre. They said that the BJP government at the Centre was violating Article 14 of the Constitution. They also said that protests would continue till the CAA is withdrawn.
