Syed Ali Ahmed

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 19—The government deployed huge security outside the historic Red Fort which was to be epicentre of the protest organised by 60 NGOs, citizen groups and Opposition parties against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Thursday. The government also suspended internet services in areas where the protest was going on to ensure that the details of the news about the protest could not be shared and propagated through TV and digital media.

Police had put up barricades on all roads leading to the Red Fort and did not allow people to march towards the protest venue. They were allowing only individuals only after questioning them for what purpose they were going towards the Red Fort. If the police were satisfied with their answers, they would them otherwise they would send them back.

But hundreds of people from various groups, including men and women, managed to go up to the Jain Mandir on Chandni Chowk Road, overlooking the Red Fort. Protesters including activists chanted slogans against the Act and BJP government at the Centre.

Several burqa-clad woman, who wanted to join the protesters, were dragged into a waiting police vehicle, besides many activists including Umar Khalid, a former student leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj India, Nadeem Khan of United Against Hate etc. Journalists faced lot of problem in sending photographs, videos and stories about the protest to their offices due to withdrawal of internet services from the vicinity of Red Fort and mobile telephone lines having been jammed.