Citizenship Protests Escalate, Bhim Army Chief Arrested & Other Top Stories

India, Interrupted: 17 Dead, Internet Snapped in Various Cities

From Delhi to Varanasi to Mangaluru to Mumbai, cities across India are witnessing massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Friday saw violent clashes with Uttar Pradesh reporting maximum deaths. So far, 17 people have died in protests, which include five in Assam also. To tackle the situation, state governments have imposed Section 144 in various cities. Mobile internet services remain suspended in as many as 20 cities of Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka. Read here

Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad Taken Into Police Custody From Delhi’s Jama Masjid

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was taken into police custody from outside the Jama Masjid in the early hours on Saturday morning. He was inside the mosque in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. We have to make sacrifice so that the legislation is taken back. We do not support violence. We were sitting inside the mosque since Friday morning and our people were not involved in violence, he said. Read here

Citizenship Act: 'Outsiders' Involved In Violence At Delhi Gate, Say Police 

The protests against Citizenship Act turned violent in Delhi's Daryaganj area on Friday evening. Protesters torched a car outside the DCP office at Delhi Gate. Earlier, police had used water cannons in an attempt to disperse the protesters. Delhi Police said "outsiders" were involved in the violence near Delhi Gate. Read here

Priyanka Gandhi Joins Students Protesting Against Citizenship Act, NRC At India Gate

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday slammed the "anti-poor" Narendra Modi government as she joined the students protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and a proposed countrywide National Register of Citizens at the India Gate. Priyanka, who is coming out to protest at India Gate for the second time in last week, said the government wants every Indian to stand in line to prove one's citizenship in the same manner they did after note ban. Read here

No Indian Citizen Will Be Unduly Harassed By Asking To Prove Citizenship: MHA

Among the uncertainty and misinformation among certain sections over the amendment Citizenship Act and nationwide NRC, Ministry of Home Affairs has clarified that no Indian citizen will be unduly harassed or put to inconvenience by asking to prove citizenship. Read here