Anti-Citizenship Act Protests: Internet suspended in 21 districts, security forces deployed in Uttar Pradesh

By Mallika Singh 

Mobile internet services were cut off in 21 districts of Uttar Pradesh on Friday and security forces were deployed as precautionary measures to avoid the eruption of fresh protests in the state.

The internet suspension is aimed at curbing fake news in relation to the newly passed Citizenship Amendment Act that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to undocumented religious minorities-namely Hindus, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from the neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan who moved to the country before the date of December 31, 2014.

Police have been strategically deployed in sensitive areas and law and order situation has been under control after weeks of violence protests told Director General of Police, OP Singh.

"We have suspended internet services in 21 districts. They will be restored as and when the situation demands...law and order situation is absolutely under control," Singh said.

Singh also informed that people indulging in violence are not to be spared citing it as the reason for hundreds of arrests made.  

All districts of Uttar Pradesh were put on high alert on Thursday, ahead of Friday prayers in the backdrop of raging protests against the CAA.
"We are not touching innocents and we will not spare people who were involved in it (violence). And that is the reason we have arrested active members of many organisations, whether it is PFI or any other political parties," he said.

Over 19 people have died; 1,110 people have been arrested and 5,558 were taken into preventive custody in connection with violence during the anti-CAA protests across the state.

"The administration is educating people on CAA and we are also monitoring social media," Additional Director General (ADG) Prashant Kumar on Thursday.

The passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act has provoked violent protests throughout India and has gathered high criticism from the national as well as the international community.

The fundamental criticism being faced is that the new Act specifically targets Muslims, making it in violation of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which enshrines the Fundamental Right to equality.

The Citizenship Act is also being linked to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is currently under implementation in Assam and according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah is to be prepared for every state in the country.