Anti-CAA Protests: Aligarh Muslim University closed till January 5

Uttar Pradesh: Aligarh Muslim University students have been protesting against the recent Citizenship Amendment Act since it was approved by the President Ram Nath Kovind. Muslim communities across India have said that they feel unsafe because of the law that allows for non-Muslim refugees to settle in India and gain citizenship with relaxed rules. Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi have strongly attacked the government against the bill, and said that it was unconstitutional.

Protests have broken out in Assam and other northeast states who fear that they would became minorities in their own native lands, if the immigrants from other countries come and settle down in their states.

Students from Jamia Millia Islamia(New Delhi), Aligarh Muslim University (Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh), TISS, and Moulana Maulana Azad National Urdu University (Hyderabad, Telangana) have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The Delhi police proceeded to attack JMI students on the evening of Sunday under the pretext of nabbing outsiders seeking refuge in the college. Videos of police attacking the students peacefully studying in the libraries surfaced on the internet. Further, the JMI students started leaving for home followed by the unprecedented attacks by the Delhi Police. The police have denied any casualties in the attacks. However, multiple videos of students bruised badly and bleeding have been shared on social media.

In latest, the Aligarh Muslim University has suspended all academic activity till January 5, 2020. The news was given out by university registrar Abdul Hamid. He said that the university decided to close down till January 5 due to the disturbances on university campus. The hostels are being evacuated, even amid the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, said the registrar. Internet services in Aligarh were suspended the same day the protests commenced in the university. Internet has also been suspended in Assam and other parts of northeast India indefinitely.