The Citizenship Amendment Act invited the rage of the Indian intelligentsia and the common people. The protests have escalated to a high degree and it is observed that some nook and corner of India is in chaos even now. When the nation's heart-wrenching cry, hurry and scurry would meet its climax is still under question. Protests, however, took different forms and the conduct and behaviour of these protests varied largely from one another.
When Peace Is the Path?
The protests held at Mumbai and Rajasthan were largely peaceful (Indiatoday.in). From students to employed citizens and people from all walks of life gathered at August Kranti Maidan to voice against the CAA and the proposed NRC. The tightly packed ground began reverberating the stern opposition of citizens who came armed with placards, songs, street plays. The light of peace and harmony, not violence emanated from their demonstrations. People also showered their sincere appreciation to the Mumbai Police for having enabled them to hold a peaceful protest.
A young girl who joined the protest group when expressing her apprehension about something unpleasant that is likely to happen, was taken aback by his reply: 'We are here' and also added ' This is Mumbai, not Delhi/UP. ' (the hindu.com). Luckily, Mumbai did not face a similar situation as that of Delhi. In Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot discussed why religion is made a criterion to discuss citizenship while some parts of Rajasthan responded very differently from the rest by bursting crackers, expressing their joy at the implementation of the bill.
Helping Hands from Students Across the Globe
Protests in Columbia University
Image source - scroll.in
Students from Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Oxford and Sussex University have expressed their condemnation at the CAA and issued a statement supporting the protests carried out in India. Highlighting Article 19, the students hold that the right to protest is the cornerstone of a democratic constitution. They view it as a means of protecting the fundamental rights of a citizen.
Their demands stressing the importance of peace include:
1. Cessation of violation by the police force and their withdrawal from the campuses.
2. Allowing the student to protest peacefully without any interference from the police officials.
The University of Sussex emphasised in their statement against CAA that university campuses are centres of ‘critical learning' and are not supposed to be militarised. (thenewsminute.com)
The Unique Protest Of IIM, Bangalore
When Peace Is the Path?
The protests held at Mumbai and Rajasthan were largely peaceful (Indiatoday.in). From students to employed citizens and people from all walks of life gathered at August Kranti Maidan to voice against the CAA and the proposed NRC. The tightly packed ground began reverberating the stern opposition of citizens who came armed with placards, songs, street plays. The light of peace and harmony, not violence emanated from their demonstrations. People also showered their sincere appreciation to the Mumbai Police for having enabled them to hold a peaceful protest.
A young girl who joined the protest group when expressing her apprehension about something unpleasant that is likely to happen, was taken aback by his reply: 'We are here' and also added ' This is Mumbai, not Delhi/UP. ' (the hindu.com). Luckily, Mumbai did not face a similar situation as that of Delhi. In Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot discussed why religion is made a criterion to discuss citizenship while some parts of Rajasthan responded very differently from the rest by bursting crackers, expressing their joy at the implementation of the bill.
Helping Hands from Students Across the Globe
Protests in Columbia University
Image source - scroll.in
Students from Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Oxford and Sussex University have expressed their condemnation at the CAA and issued a statement supporting the protests carried out in India. Highlighting Article 19, the students hold that the right to protest is the cornerstone of a democratic constitution. They view it as a means of protecting the fundamental rights of a citizen.
Their demands stressing the importance of peace include:
1. Cessation of violation by the police force and their withdrawal from the campuses.
2. Allowing the student to protest peacefully without any interference from the police officials.
The University of Sussex emphasised in their statement against CAA that university campuses are centres of ‘critical learning' and are not supposed to be militarised. (thenewsminute.com)
The Unique Protest Of IIM, Bangalore
Protest in IIM Bangalore
Image source-ndtv.com
Of all the protests, the protest of IIM won the hearts of many calling attention to their unique way of 'non-protest'. There was a collection of shoes, blank chart papers and flowers outside the main gate of the campus. Since Section 144 restricts the gathering of four or more persons, students took care not to violate the order. But it was evident that they are not going to stop protecting or remain blind and deaf to the injustices. Students have always come up with unique and innovative ways and will continue doing so to see that justice is served and the constitution is saved from the tyrannical orders.
How It All Happened in Uttar Pradesh?
The contentious Act has started taking the lives of people. Tremendous attempts like suspension of internet services and lobbing tear gas shells are made to suppress the people. But there is not a trace of people seeming to step back. A massive group assembled around the Jama Masjid after the Friday prayers defying the prohibitor orders and police crackdown. On the 20th of December 2019 many regions of Uttar Pradesh including Kanpur, Meerut and Lucknow witnessed violent clashes between the mob and the cops. Almost ten people who are alleged to have been involved in the stone-pelting and arson are arrested (indiatoday.in). The number of deaths in Uttar Pradesh have risen to 11. Even though UP DJP ascertains that not even a single bullet has been fired at the protesters, the injured people who have been admitted in the hospitals so far have gunshot injuries on their bodies (indiatimes.com).
Protests in Other Parts of The Country
The atmosphere in Mangalore following the brutal death of two protesters and the imposition of the curfew are deemed peaceful. Seelampur’s area in northeast Delhi saw the eruption of violence paving way for the damage to public properties. In Tamil Nadu, the CPI-M activists tried to block a train and eventually, they were confronted by the police force. In the Shah-e-Alam area of Gujarat, a few policemen were injured after the mob began pelting stones, bricks and bottles.
The whole nation is plunged in some kind of a protest and seems determined to roll back the amendment act no matter what it costs them. It is believed to be the greatest protests that India is witnessing after the freedom struggles. There are no way citizens are going to sit back and watch the events in fear. But the protests and revolts in the current situation prove to be a threat to many innocent lives like the eight-year-old boy who was killed in a stampede in Varanasi.
- Written by Maryam Salim
Want to join the Eat My News's global community? Here is an opportunity to join the Board of Young Leaders Program by Eat My News. Click here to know more: bit.ly/boardofyoungleaders
Image source-ndtv.com
Of all the protests, the protest of IIM won the hearts of many calling attention to their unique way of 'non-protest'. There was a collection of shoes, blank chart papers and flowers outside the main gate of the campus. Since Section 144 restricts the gathering of four or more persons, students took care not to violate the order. But it was evident that they are not going to stop protecting or remain blind and deaf to the injustices. Students have always come up with unique and innovative ways and will continue doing so to see that justice is served and the constitution is saved from the tyrannical orders.
How It All Happened in Uttar Pradesh?
The contentious Act has started taking the lives of people. Tremendous attempts like suspension of internet services and lobbing tear gas shells are made to suppress the people. But there is not a trace of people seeming to step back. A massive group assembled around the Jama Masjid after the Friday prayers defying the prohibitor orders and police crackdown. On the 20th of December 2019 many regions of Uttar Pradesh including Kanpur, Meerut and Lucknow witnessed violent clashes between the mob and the cops. Almost ten people who are alleged to have been involved in the stone-pelting and arson are arrested (indiatoday.in). The number of deaths in Uttar Pradesh have risen to 11. Even though UP DJP ascertains that not even a single bullet has been fired at the protesters, the injured people who have been admitted in the hospitals so far have gunshot injuries on their bodies (indiatimes.com).
Protests in Other Parts of The Country
The atmosphere in Mangalore following the brutal death of two protesters and the imposition of the curfew are deemed peaceful. Seelampur’s area in northeast Delhi saw the eruption of violence paving way for the damage to public properties. In Tamil Nadu, the CPI-M activists tried to block a train and eventually, they were confronted by the police force. In the Shah-e-Alam area of Gujarat, a few policemen were injured after the mob began pelting stones, bricks and bottles.
The whole nation is plunged in some kind of a protest and seems determined to roll back the amendment act no matter what it costs them. It is believed to be the greatest protests that India is witnessing after the freedom struggles. There are no way citizens are going to sit back and watch the events in fear. But the protests and revolts in the current situation prove to be a threat to many innocent lives like the eight-year-old boy who was killed in a stampede in Varanasi.
- Written by Maryam Salim
Want to join the Eat My News's global community? Here is an opportunity to join the Board of Young Leaders Program by Eat My News. Click here to know more: bit.ly/boardofyoungleaders
0 Comments