Mandi House Turns Into CAA Battleground, RAF Deployed, Mobile Internet Blocked At ITO

Mandi House, located in the heart of National Capital, turned into a battleground with unprecedented deployment of security personnel to tackle the agitators during nationwide call of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in New Delhi on Thursday. From Delhi Police to the Rapid Action Force, boots were on ground in and around Mandi House, the cultural hotspot of Delhi. The entry and exit gates of the Mandi House Metro stations have been closed. Mobile internet has been blocked in Mandi House and ITO. There are reports coming in that the police have also detained large numbers of protesters, who had come to Mandi House.

They were taken in a bus, but the destination of that bus is still not known. The protesters have planned a march starting from Mandi House to ITO’s Shaheed Park. In neighbouring Red Fort area, several protesters defied the prohibitory orders.

Swaraj Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav was among those who were detained, officials said. "I have just been detained from Lal Qila. About a thousand protesters already detained. Thousands on the way. Am told we are being taken to Bawana," Yadav tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has urged protestors to go to the designated place for their protest. "We are requesting the protestors to please apply for the designated place for the protest. In the non-designated places, public face problems and many emergency services get affected.

"We urge people to not listen to any rumours. Section 144 has already been imposed in the area. Please cooperate with the Delhi Police," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said. Two protests are scheduled in the national capital, one by students and activists and the other by left parties. The two marches are to meet at Shaheed Park near ITO. 

The Left parties had given the clarion call for the anti-CAA protests on December 19. “On this day, December 19, 1927, Ram Prasad Bismil, who rendered the stirring patriotic call rousing the Indian people in the freedom struggle, Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna was hanged at the Gorakhpur jail. Ashfaqulla Khan, a co-accused, was hanged at the Faizabad jail and another co-accused Roshan Singh was hanged at the Naini jail. This unity, overriding religious affiliations won India its freedom from the British. This, today, is being ruptured by the RSS-BJP,” the statement by the Left parties said.