Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) broke out in Hyderabad's Charminar area on Friday following afternoon prayers in Mecca Majid. Around 1000 people participated in the protests.
The protesters from different walks of life raised slogans against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens, the BJP government at the Centre and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to police, the Friday prayers at Mecca Masjid were attended by around 5000 people. Police said several people including local youths tried to carry out a rally against CAA and NRC.
Several youth and students argued with the police demanding that they be allowed to carry out a protest rally after officials tried to stop them.
Around 1000 ppl believed 2 have took part in rally against #CAA_NRC at Charminar after Friday a/n prayers, crowd cleared later.
— CharanTeja (@CharanT16) December 20, 2019
Police told TNM "Everything is alright and calm, 12 taken into preventive custody and they will be released shortly" @dhanyarajendran @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/TIh94ZCxv7
The youth held several placards which shown "Ganga Jamuna Tehazeeb of Telangana Hindu Muslim Bhai Bhai" and "Our Demand is KCR should announce no NRC in Telangana".
Shahvaj Khan an engineering student from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, who is part of a group youth who led the rally addressing the media alleged, “With CAA, Amit Shah wants to give citizenship to the people who come from Bangladesh , Afghanistan. Isn’t that a threat to the country? You will give citizenship to someone who came from outside illegally but want to send out the own citizens from here with NRC, from where poor will bring the documents."
Khan further added "Today everyone, be it Hindu, Muslim or Christian or Sikh have taken to roads to save the Indian Constitution. We don't need any leader, we want all the people, be it a Hindu, Sikh or Christian to join the protest as our Constitution grants the right to protest."
Speaking to TNM, Syed Rafeeq Addl DCP South Zone said, “They have tried to take out a rally against CAA and NRC. Since they don't have permission for taking any sort of rally, we have halted them and dispersed all. Situation is totally alright. No untoward incident has taken place."
He also said, “Twelve local youths have been taken into preventive custody and they are now at Chelapur." Police said the detainees will be released later.
Earlier the City Commissioner of Police had announced that no outdoor permission has been given for any rally or procession against Citizenship Amendment Act or in favour of Citizenship Amendment Act.
No outdoor permission has been given for any rally or procession against Citizenship Amendment Act or in favour of Citizenship Amendment Act.
— Hyderabad City Police (@hydcitypolice) December 19, 2019
Commissioner of Police,Hyderabad.
On the other hand, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) students are continuing their protest inside the campus. On Friday evening, students planned to take out a rally condemning the Mangaluru police firing which claimed two lives and injured 11 persons.