CAA Protests Highlights: Priyanka claims UP cops ‘manhandled’ her while visiting arrested activist’s house

Congress General Secretary for UP (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said that the UP police manhandled and stopped her while she was on her way to meet the family members of former IPS officer S R Darapuri.

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— Congress (@INCIndia) December 28, 2019

Union minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress of wanting to "divide the country" by spreading lies and confusion over the Citizenship Amendment Act and said if Rahul Gandhi has "love for infiltrators", he can take them to Italy. Asking the Congress to refrain from a "policy of double-standards", Singh claimed that the UPA government had earlier talked about the citizenship law, but did not go ahead with it due to "appeasement politics". "Congress wants to divide the country by speaking lies... If Rahul Gandhi has a love for infiltrators (immigrants), let him take them to Italy," the Union Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Minister said. (PTI)

AICC National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached at Jailed S R Darapuri's residence in Lucknow on Saturday. Darapuri was arrested in Anti CAA violence.

(Express Photos by Vishal Srivastav)

"Like any responsible opposition leader in the country, Priyanka Gandhi felt it was her duty to meet the family of the people affected by the UP Police in a manner worse than how criminals are treated. It is very unfortunate that while she was on her way to meet former officer Darapuri ji’s family, the 84-year old who was jailed while he was protesting along with the entire nation against CAA, she was stopped by UP Police. We condemn the physical violence on protesters and manhandling of Priyanka ji. This government should be dismissed and there should be President's rule in the state" All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev said.

Priyanka Gandhi blamed the UP Police and said that they manhandled her and surrounded her when she was going with a party worker on a two-wheeler to meet the family of former IPS officer S R Darapuri.

After the police stopped her car from travelling, Smt. @PriyankaGandhi walked the distance to meet the family of former IPS officer, S R Darapuri. pic.twitter.com/ouzbJtkEq5

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 28, 2019

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra travelled on a two-wheeler after she was stopped by police while she was on her way to meet family members of Former IPS officer SR Darapuri.

Lucknow: Congress General Secretary for UP (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra travelled on a two-wheeler after she was stopped by police while she was on her way to meet family members of Former IPS officer SR Darapuri. https://t.co/MTFUCmj63X pic.twitter.com/NJbChyGL1K

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 28, 2019

Virtually equating the ruling BJP government with the British, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said that at present the country was fighting an ideology which it had fought against during the freedom struggle. She was addressing party leaders during a programme held to mark the 135th Foundation Day of the Congress. "Today in the country, there are such powers in the government with whom we had a historical clash. We are at present fighting an ideology against which we fought during the freedom struggle," Priyanka Gandhi said here at the UP Congress headquarters. "Today the country is in trouble. If we do not raise our voice, we will be proved to be cowards," she added. (PTI)

TMC delegation, comprising Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque and former railway minister Dinesh Dwivedi, visit family members of those killed in December 19 protests against Citizenship Amendment Act in Mangaluru, hands over cheques to bereaved families. (PTI)

Congress General Secretary for UP (East) Priyanka Gandhi stopped on her way while she was going to visit family of party leader Sadaf Jafar who was arrested during protest against Citizenship Amendment Act. "There's no point stopping us on road. It's not an issue of SPG but of UP police,"  she said.

Smt @priyankagandhi's car is forcefully stopped by UP police while on her way to meet the family of former IPS officer, S R Darapuri. pic.twitter.com/FC9nEdzJQ0

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 28, 2019

In his first rally since protests broke out in Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Saturday said that the northeastern state might return to the path of violence because of the BJP government’s policies at the Centre and in the state. Addressing a rally in Guwahati, Rahul said, “I fear that because of BJP, Assam has taken to violence again,” he said referring to the new citizenship law. He also said that the Congress would not allow the BJP to attack the culture, language and identity of Assam and the northeast. Read more

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the residence of Sam Stafford in Guwahati, who lost his life during Citizenship Amendment Act protest violence in the state.

Guwahati: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited residence of Sam Stafford, who lost his life during Citizenship Amendment Act protest violence. #Assam pic.twitter.com/GeH5Xxe437

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2019

"The BJP’s handling of the situation is all wrong. If the public wants to convey what they feel peacefully, then there is no need to resort to violence and shoot them. The public can be heard with love," says Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati.

"Wherever the BJP goes, it spreads hate. In Assam, youth is protesting, in other states protests happening as well. Why do you have to shoot and kill them? BJP doesn't want to listen to voice of people," says Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati

"We will not allow the BJP and the RSS to control Assam. The people of Assam will be responsible for the state's control. We will not let it happen," says Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati

#WATCH Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati: Hum BJP aur RSS ko Assam ki history, bhasha ,sanskriti par akraman nahi karne denge. Assam ko Nagpur nahi chalayega, Assam ko RSS ke chaddi wale nahi chalayenge. Assam ko Assam ki janta chalayegi. pic.twitter.com/hzg4qaPRPv

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2019

"I fear Assam is returning to the path of violence because of BJP's policies. The spirit of the Assam Accord should not be broken. The Accord had brought peace to the state," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati

Targetting the BJP for saying that there is no proposal for a nation-wide NRC as of now, Priyanka said the country is fed up of its lies. "Jo desh bhar mein NRC ki charcha phailate hain, aaj kehte hain ki charcha hi nahi thi. Ye desh aapko pehchan raha hai, aapki kayarta ko pehchan raha hai aur aapke jhoothon se uub chuka hai."Accusing the opposition parties in the state of not doing much to oppose the citizenship law, Priyanka Gandhi said the party might have to go solo in the Assembly elections. "Other opposition parties in the state are not speaking up a lot. But as I said, we're not going to be afraid & keep raising voices even if we've to walk alone. We've to be prepared to go into next Assembly elections alone," she said. 

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra targetted the Yogi Adityanath-led government for "communalising" the police force. Attaching a video clip in which the Meerut SP can be heard telling the protesters to "go to Pakistan', Gandhi on Twitter wrote, "The Constitution of India does not allow the use of this language with any citizen, and when you are an officer in an important position, then the responsibility increases. BJP has communally poisoned the institutions to such an extent that the officers today have no respect of the values enshrined in the Constitution."

A political party which has a discriminatory, divisive agenda cannot occupy the high moral ground because it won an election by including a divisive agenda in its manifesto. A commitment cannot be clothed with legality merely because a majoritarian government got it passed in Parliament. Even if the law passes the test of legality, it may still be repressive, can instil fear and target communities. The most ill-conceived argument is that both the law and its makers are being unduly vilified. Read more

The National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) are two sides of a coin, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has said. "Home Minister Amit Shah said there is no difference between NPR and NRC. I am telling you that NPR and NRC are two sides of a coin. The rules of NPR and NRC are the same. These rules have been made as per the Citizenship Act, 1955 in which NPR and NRC are there.. if NPR is done in this country, NRC would also be done," Owaisi claimed in Nizamabad.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan faced unprecedented protests on Saturday from some delegates during his speech at the Indian History Congress here.

Some delegates protested after the governor spoke about the anti-CAA agitations in various parts of the country. "You have every right to protest. But you cannot shout me down", Khan said repeatedly as some of the delegates, sitting in front, protested inside the auditorium. He also said, "when you shut the door for debate and discussion, you are promoting violence." The incident occurred at the Kannur university where the Governor was inaugurating the 80th session of the History Congress. (With inputs from PTI)

Meerut SP City Akhilesh N Singh has been caught on camera asking local residents to tell protesters to “go to Pakistan” during clashes on December 20, when four persons died during protests against the new citizenship law. Kahan jaoge, is gali ko theek kar doonga (Where will you go, I will sort out this lane)”, referring to four protesters police were chasing. The officer then turns to three persons and says: “Yeh jo kaali aur peeli patti baande huye hain inse keh do Pakistan chale jao…khaoge yahan ka, gaoge kahin aur ka… Yeh gali mujhe yaad ho gayi hai. Aur jab mujhe yaad ho jaata hai toh mein naani tak pahunch jaata hun (The ones tying black and yellow bands, tell them to go to Pakistan. You eat here but sing praises of another place… This lane is now familiar to me. And once I remember, I can even reach your grandmother).”

When contacted by The Indian Express, Singh said “the context is that anti-social elements were making pro-Pakistan statements”. “We had come to the area to see who all were making pro-Pakistan statements. When we arrived with force, they had run away. We found out that there were 3-4 such people who wanted to create an issue. We had discussions with locals,” the SP said.

Amid protests against the new citizenship law across the country, BJP Thursday organised an event where families of Sodha community from Pakistan who are living in Rajkot on long-term visa (LTV) were greeted with flowers. The party organised a meeting of intellectuals and party workers in Swaminarayan Gurukul, a school run by monks of Swaminarayan sect on Gondal Road of the city, to “raise public awareness about the Citizenship Amendment Act and to welcome Pakistani nationals living in India”. Read more

The Maharashtra unit of the Congress on Saturday took out a flag march in Mumbai with the message of 'Save Bharat-Save Constitution' on the occasion of the party's foundation day. The march was taken out between the August Kranti Maidan and the statue of Lokmanya Tilak near Girgaum Chowpatty. Congress general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other state unit leaders participated in the march, which began after the flag-hoisting ceremony at Tejpal Hall near August Kranti Maidan. (Express photo/Nirmal Harindran)

Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath in Chennai were planning to march towards Raj Bhavan but were denied permission. Speaking to the reporters, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi MLA Thamimun Ansari said they will stage protest across the country against CAA. 'India is getting ready for another Freedom protest. The central government should not implement this act. We will not let any authority inside our houses to check our Aaadhar and other details required for CAA or NPR. Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Kerala, and other states have said that they will not allow CAA in their region, similarly Edappadi Palanisamy should not allow that in Tamil Nadu. We will make sure the central withdraws this act, just wait and see,' he said.

Prominent Constitutional expert and former secretary-general of the Lok Sabha, Subhash Kashyap, had warned the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill two years ago that the legislation should omit any “reference to religions like Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, etc.” — and use only “persecuted minorities”. Kashyap, who was secretary-general of the seventh, eighth and ninth Lok Sabha, said that with both Houses of Parliament having passed the CAB, and the President giving assent, the only way to “correct it” is through the “court of law” or by Parliament amending the Act.

Criticising the violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as “lawlessness”, he said the protesters should remember that “the same Constitution of this democratic country holds Parliament as supreme”. Read more

On the BJP calling him a "liar", Rahul Gandhi again attacked Modi over his remarks that there were no detention centres in the country. "You would have seen my tweet. You would have seen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in which he is saying there are no detention centres in India and you would have seen the video of the detention centre. You can decide who is lying," he told reporters.

On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi had attacked Modi over his remarks that there were no detention centres in the country, alleging that "RSS's Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata". Taking to Twitter, he had also attached a video clip in which Modi accused the Congress, its allies and "urban Naxals" of spreading the rumour that Muslims will be sent to detention centres. The clip also shows a purported detention centre being constructed in Assam. "RSS's Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata," Gandh hadi said in the tweet in Hindi with the hashtag 'Jhoot Jhoot Jhoot (lies, lies, lies). 

Senior RJD leader and former Union minister M A Fatmi on Saturday sought a Supreme court-monitored probe into the recent violence at Jamia Millia, AMU and other parts of the country where several lives were lost during protests against the new citizenship law.

Fatmi, also a former secretary of the Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union, told PTI over phone that the rising incidents of police excesses can only be contested and confronted if the higher judiciary takes upon itself the responsibility for protecting the justice delivery system "which is being threatened".

He said, "When a chief minister can get away by issuing inflammatory and polarising statements and police officials instead of dousing fires are themselves exciting passions, only courts can save the day". (PTI)

Intensifying its protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, the Congress in Kerala took out a "Maha Rally" to the Raj Bhavan n which various leaders, including former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram participated.

The rally, which began from Martyr's column, was led by KPCC President, Mullapally Ramachandran, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala, besides Chidambaram. Hundreds of party workers, including MPs and MLAs are among those who participated. (PTI)

Welcome to The Indian Express' live blog on anti-CAA protests. Rahul Gandhi will address a rally in Guwahati today where he is expected to corner the Narendra Modi government over the contentious new citizenship law, among other issues. Follow this space to track the latest news