India citizenship law: 354 arrested in West Bengal amid protests

Published at 12:22 pm December 17th, 2019

Demonstrators burn an effigy depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest against a new citizenship law, outside Jamia Millia Islamia university in New Delhi, India, December 16, 2019 Reuters

Tail tracks and roads blocked again on Monday

Protests against the amended Citizenship Act continued in West Bengal on Monday even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed for calm, PTI reported.

Banerjee led a huge protest rally against the amended law and pledged not to implement it in the state.

Kerala, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jadavpur Kolkata, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Aligarh, Delhi, Mumbai. Kashmiris are not allowed to protest... People, students all over are protesting against the #CAA2019. Don't be in denial.
— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) December 15, 2019

Protestors continued to block roads and railway tracks. Police said that 354 people were arrested so far. Agitators blocked thoroughfares in districts such as East Midnapore, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and Malda, police said.

What is happening is not okay. The way it’s happening is not okay. People have every right to peacefully voice their opinion. This violence and disruption is both saddening and concerning as a fellow citizen. In no circumstance, must our faith in democracy be shaken. 🇮🇳
— Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) December 16, 2019

The National Highway 12 in Nadia district was clogged for several hours as protestors gathered in large numbers. In North 24 Parganas’ Rajarhat area, demonstrators burnt tyres on the Biswa Bangla Sarani. Stones were pelted at police personnel in Howrah district’s Bakra area.

If this is what’s gonna happen everytime a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC.
— Parineeti Chopra (@ParineetiChopra) December 17, 2019

A series of express and local trains were cancelled or rescheduled due to the protests. A railway spokesperson saying that tracks were blocked in the Sealdah-Diamond Harbour and Sealdah-Namkhana sectors. Train services between Tamluk and Haldia section of the South Eastern Railway and the Howrah-Amta section was disrupted for several hours.