- Title: 'Shut down fascism, not internet': Indians protest citizenship law
- Date: 27th December 2019
- Summary: KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (DECEMBER 27, 2019) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING FLAGS AND PLACARDS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CARRYING FLAGS AND PLACARDS MARCHING PROTESTERS MARCHING, PLACARD READING (English): "SHUT DOWN FASCISM, NOT INTERNET" (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) MEMBER OF INDIA'S OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY, ABHIJIT MUKHERJEE, SAYING: "Until they withdraw (Citizenship Amendment Act) the rallies will continue to take place, these protests will continue. This is our right. The constitution of the country is impartial, there is tolerance and it is not communal." SILIGURI, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (DECEMBER 27, 2019) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) PROTESTERS CARRYING LARGE BANNER, MARCHING PROTESTERS INCLUDING SECRETARY OF DARJEELING DISTRICT'S REGIONAL SOCIALIST UNITY CENTRE OF INDIA (COMMUNIST) PARTY, GAUTAM BHATTACHARYA (SPECTACLES, BROWN JACKET) MARCHING, CARRYING BANNER PROTESTERS MARCHING, CARRYING BANNER READING (English): "NO NRC NO CAA" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING, CARRYING PLACARDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SECRETARY OF DARJEELING DISTRICT'S REGIONAL SOCIALIST UNITY CENTRE OF INDIA (COMMUNIST) PARTY, GAUTAM BHATTACHARYA, SAYING: "It is not attack, only the Muslim community but (also an) attack on the Hindus, (the) working peoples also. I think that it is the fight for the existence of the 130 crore (1.3 billion population) peoples of India."
- Embargoed: 10th January 2020 16:45
- Keywords: India India citizenship law India protests citizenship law protests
- Location: KOLKATA AND SILIGURI, WEST BENGAL / MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA AND NEW DELHI, INDIA
- City: KOLKATA AND SILIGURI, WEST BENGAL / MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA AND NEW DELHI, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001BBR25ON
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters took to the streets across India on Friday (December 27) against a new citizenship law as thousands of police were deployed and mobile internet services shut down.
The legislation makes it easier for minorities from India's Muslim majority neighbours - Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan - who settled before 2015 to get citizenship but does not make the same concessions for Muslims.
Critics say the law - and plans for a national citizenship register - discriminate against Muslims and are an attack on the country's secular constitution by the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Muslims, India's second biggest community by religion, account for about 14% of its 1.3 billion people.
Thousands of demonstrators, waving Indian flags and holding placards rejecting the new law, protested peacefully after at least 25 deaths nationwide.
Some parts of the country also saw rallies in favour of the new citizenship law but were outnumbered by demonstrations and protests against the legislation.
(Production: Louisa Naks) - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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