CAA, NRC protest in East Delhi's Khureji

Over a thousand people on Tuesday gathered in East Delhi's Khureji neighbourhood to protest against the amended citizenship law and a possible pan-India National Register of Citizens. 

Raising slogans of "Aazadi", "Inquilab Zindabad" and "Aawaaz do hum ek hain", an estimated 1,500 people, including women and children, gathered for the second day at a local park. 

Outside the park, hundreds of other men and young boys stood along both sides of the road, many of them holding candles in their hands while others with posters calling for revocation of the contentious citizenship law. 

The protest in this East Delhi neighbourhood unfolded on Monday, as anti-CAA and anti-NRC demonstrations continued in Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Millia Islamia and Zakir Nagar in South-East regions of the national capital.

"I had come here yesterday and I am here today as well. Our demand is that the government repeal the CAA and drop the idea of the NRC," a local Khureji shopkeeper told PTI. 

Over a dozen Delhi police personnel and some of them in riot gear stood deployed outside the protest venue at night, even as young local men volunteered to manage traffic movement on the road leading to Shakarpur and Anand Vihar on one side and Jheel on the other. 

"I am hopeful the government would listen to our demands and repeal the law as more and more protests are unfolding against it," said another man, in his 50s, who had come to the venue with his family.

Bilal, a teenager who works at motorcycle repairing shop, stood holding a candle in his hand as the wax from it continued to drip on his palm.

Asked why was he was doing this, he said, "This is fine, no pain compared to CAA and NRC."

Besides Delhi, protests have unfolded in several parts of the country over the contentious law since it was passed on December 11 and have led to clashes at several places including Uttar Pradesh, where nearly 20 people have died.

According to the amended law, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

Those opposing the law contend that it discriminates on the basis of religion and violates the Constitution. They also allege that the CAA along withe the NRC is intended to target the Muslim community in India.

However, the central government has dismissed the allegations, maintaining that the law is intended to give citizenship to the persecuted people from the three neighbouring countries and not to take away citizenship from anyone. PTI KIS ZMN