'No to CAA': How Bengaluru protesters raised voices against Citizenship Amendment Act

Raising the tricolour high up in the air along with 'Say no to CAA' slogans, thousands of people from all across the city gathered at Bengaluru's Puttana Chetty Town Hall protesting against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act.

On Sunday evening, December 15 the city witnessed one of the largest protests with 3,500 people holding placards which read 'Say no to CAA', Black bill, etc for three long hours.  Standing before the huge banner with India Against CAA and the preamble of the constitution written over it, people raised slogans dissenting the Act. 

'We want democracy, we want pluralism'

Few prominent voices that spoke against the bill comparing it to the policies of British Raj, Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda, Siasat Daily Editor Amer Ali Khan, Jayanagar constituency MLA Soumya Reddy, Rama Chandra Guha, Kavita Lankesh, Tanveer Ahmed Ullah and many among others. 

This country was founded on the principle of diversity. We want democracy, we want pluralism. - Ram Chandra Guha, Historian.

 This is the conflict between two ideologies - one that divides India on the basis of religion and our ideology that wants to celebrate the diversity of India. - Rajeev Gowda, Rajya Sabha MP

Hope the fire in India that is burning now quietens down and instead the ruling government faces the heat. - Filmmaker, Kavita Lankesh

This government, from Day 1, has been trying to incite us with Article 370,  Tripe Talaq, other issues, and now with the Citizenship Amendment Act - Brijesh Kalappa, Congress spokesperson

Raising voices & placards

From an 8-year-old holding 'CAA is evil' to a 65-year-old activist raising his 'Save Democracy' placard, the protest witnessed some of the most eye-catching placards. 'Save Assam Accord', 'United in Heart and United in Spirit,' Black Bill CAA,' were some of the placards being raised at the protest.  

Security beefed up

With the tight security provided by the Bengaluru police, the protest was held peacefully and did not see any kind of violations. Several police personnels were deployed as the venue was surrounded by police vans and barricades. The protesters gathered were asked to follow protocol during the protests and not take part in any kind of violent behaviour. The protest started at 5:00 PM and concluded at 8:00 PM as per the allotted time. 

The traffic in the city was choked near the Townhall as the protesters spilled on the main traffic junction causing traffic congestion in parts of the city. 

Protests in other parts of Karnataka

Tens of thousands of people protested across Karnataka on Friday, December 13 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), an official said on Saturday, December 14. 

• Shivamogga by Muslim Muttahida Mahaz,
• Chintamani many people protested after the Friday prayers
• Bidar by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind members, 
• Madikeri by Kodagu Muslim Jamaat Union
• Udupi by Zilla Muslim Okkuta

Protests in other parts of the country

Protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) have spread across the country, with several students and activists detained, and university campuses flaring up with demonstrations.

The chief proctor of Jamia Millia Islamia accused the Delhi police of forcefully entering the university campus, beating up and detaining around 100 students on Sunday, December 15. All the detained students were released around 3.30 am on Monday.

Students at the Aligarh Muslim University also clashed with the police after their solidarity march was stopped. Following this, Hyderabad's Maulana Azad Urdu University and the Banaras Hindu University also raised their voices.

Agitating against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a mob set afire a police post and targeted some vehicles at Kargil Chowk in Patna, Bihar, on Sunday. According to Patna District Magistrate Kumar Ravi, the protesters were moving towards the Kargil Chowk from Ashok Rajpath when they were intercepted by the police.

West Bengal, too, witnessed violence as two trains were vandalised, and railway stations, track, property and RPF vehicles were set on fire after Trinamool Congress and Congress members joined the protests. The vehicular movement was obstructed, prompting the state government to shut down internet services in some parts of West Bengal on Sunday.