Human Rights

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) Congress leaders led by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a dharna at the India Gate on Monday in solidarity with students protesting against the amended Citizenship Act.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the two-hour protest, which began at 4 pm, is to express solidarity with students from Jamia Millia Islamia University and other places.

Police had used force against students on Sunday after a protest against the amended law turned violent in which buses were torched.

Guwahati, Oct 15 (PTI) People of the Assamese community in London was joined by other Indians to protest against the amended Citizenship Act outside the Indian High Commission.

Demanding revocation of the law, they held a protest gathering against the Act that threatens the linguistic and cultural identity of the Assamese people in Assam, Karuna Sagar Das, a prominent face in the diaspora in London, told PTI.

Raipur, Dec 15 (PTI) A protest march was taken out in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur against the "divisive" amended citizenship law which grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants fleeing religious persecution from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The protest was held under the banner of the "Anti-CAB Agitation Forum" from Marine Drive area to Ambedkar Chowk in evening, said Gautam Bandopadhyay, an activist.

Chennai, Dec 16 (PTI) As the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rages in various parts of the country, here is a look at the stand of key regional political parties from southern states.

Tamil Nadu:

The ruling AIADMK supports the CAA and it spoke in Parliament for inclusion of Sri Lankan Tamils under the purview of the act in Parliament.

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 16 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday lashed out at the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), saying it was an attempt to "curb" freedom.

He said the country was facing an "explosive" atmosphere.

Speaking at a joint protest meeting organised by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the Opposition Congress headed UDF, Vijayan said, "Our country is facing a severe crisis. This has been deliberately created by the central government".

Kolkata, Dec 16 (PTI) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit the streets of Kolkata on Monday along with thousands of partymen and vowed not to allow the proposed country-wide NRC and the amended Citizenship Act in West Bengal.

The TMC supremo began the protest march from Red Road in heart of the city, and it is set to culminate at Jorasakho Thakur Bari, the residence of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in north Kolkata, around 4 km away.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Dec 16 (PTI) Property worth Rs 50 lakh of a cow smuggler was seized under the UP Gangster Act in a village in Muzaffarnagar district, a senior official said.

Imran allegedly extracted money through illegal sources and bought property in Chapar village that was seized on Sunday, according to District Magistrate Selva Kumari J.

Pakur (Jharkhand), Dec 16 (PTI) BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said a grand Ram temple would come up in Ayodhya within four months as per the wishes of Indians all over the world.

Shah asked Congress leader Kapil Sibal why he sought to drag the Ram Janmabhoomi case in the Supreme Court.

"Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal sahab said, 'abhi mat chalaye case, baad mein chalaye. Keon bhai, aap ke pet mein kyon dard hai' (take up the case latter, why do you have a stomach ache following the case)," Shah asked Sibal.

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) The CPI-M on Monday said it would file a petition in the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying the tweaked law is against constitutional provisions.

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said here that the apex court would be approached either on Monday or Tuesday.

He said the amended law is violative of constitutional provisions.

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) A PIL was moved in the Delhi High Court on Monday against the police action on students protesting against the amended Citizenship Act at the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar seeking that it be listed for hearing during the day.

The bench, however, declined to list it on Monday, saying "there is no urgency".