A group of doctors are travelling to the sites in Delhi where protests against the amended citizenship act are going on in order to give immediate medical attention to any injured protester.

Ajay Verma, a psychiatrist at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said he had seen how the protesters were denied medical attention when they were taken to the Daryaganj Police Station.

"To ensure that no such instance is repeated, we have arranged for two ambulances which we take to all the protest sites and provide medical attention to anyone who needs it," Verma said.

He said they are a group of 30 doctors who are working through crowdfunding, trying to provide medical aid to the protestors in Delhi.

People have been demanding complete rollback of the amended citizenship act since the controversial bill was passed in Parliament.

According to the act, people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come to India till December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution will be given Indian citizenship.

The protesters claim that the legislation is 'unconstitutional and divisive' as it excludes Muslims.

At least 16 people have been killed in violence in Uttar Pradesh alone during anti-CAA protests since Thursday.

They also claimed that several protesters were not given timely medical attention in Delhi when they were detained by the police.  -- PTI

A group of doctors are travelling to the sites in Delhi where protests against the amended citizenship act are going on in order to give immediate medical attention to any injured protester.

Ajay Verma, a psychiatrist at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said he had seen how the protesters were denied medical attention when they were taken to the Daryaganj Police Station.

"To ensure that no such instance is repeated, we have arranged for two ambulances which we take to all the protest sites and provide medical attention to anyone who needs it," Verma said.

He said they are a group of 30 doctors who are working through crowdfunding, trying to provide medical aid to the protestors in Delhi.

People have been demanding complete rollback of the amended citizenship act since the controversial bill was passed in Parliament.

According to the act, people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come to India till December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution will be given Indian citizenship.

The protesters claim that the legislation is 'unconstitutional and divisive' as it excludes Muslims.

At least 16 people have been killed in violence in Uttar Pradesh alone during anti-CAA protests since Thursday.

They also claimed that several protesters were not given timely medical attention in Delhi when they were detained by the police.  -- PTI

JUST IN: Internet services to remain suspended in Prayagraj till December 24.  -- ANI

JUST IN: Internet services to remain suspended in Prayagraj till December 24.  -- ANI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly contradicted the home minister's stand on the proposed nationwide implementation of National Register of Citizens.

Banerjee said that comments made by her and Modi on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the NRC are in public domain, and people will decide who is right or wrong.

'Whatever I said is there in public forum, whatever you (PM) said is there for people to judge. With PM contradicting Home Minister (Amit Shah) publicly on Nationwide NRC, who is dividing fundamental idea of India? People will definitely decide who is right & who is wrong,' she tweeted.

During a rally in New Delhi earlier in the day, Modi made a reference to a speech of Banerjee in Parliament against infiltration into the state, and attacked the CM for 'changing' her stand due to 'vote bank politics'.

"These leaders changed their stand and all their love and sympathy for these refugees vanished," Modi said.  -- PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly contradicted the home minister's stand on the proposed nationwide implementation of National Register of Citizens.

Banerjee said that comments made by her and Modi on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the NRC are in public domain, and people will decide who is right or wrong.

'Whatever I said is there in public forum, whatever you (PM) said is there for people to judge. With PM contradicting Home Minister (Amit Shah) publicly on Nationwide NRC, who is dividing fundamental idea of India? People will definitely decide who is right & who is wrong,' she tweeted.

During a rally in New Delhi earlier in the day, Modi made a reference to a speech of Banerjee in Parliament against infiltration into the state, and attacked the CM for 'changing' her stand due to 'vote bank politics'.

"These leaders changed their stand and all their love and sympathy for these refugees vanished," Modi said.  -- PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly contradicted the home minister's stand on the proposed nationwide implementation of National Register of Citizens.

Banerjee said that comments made by her and Modi on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the NRC are in public domain, and people will decide who is right or wrong.

'Whatever I said is there in public forum, whatever you (PM) said is there for people to judge. With PM contradicting Home Minister (Amit Shah) publicly on Nationwide NRC, who is dividing fundamental idea of India? People will definitely decide who is right & who is wrong,' she tweeted.

During a rally in New Delhi earlier in the day, Modi made a reference to a speech of Banerjee in Parliament against infiltration into the state, and attacked the CM for 'changing' her stand due to 'vote bank politics'.

"These leaders changed their stand and all their love and sympathy for these refugees vanished," Modi said.  -- PTI

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the country in his name.

'Earlier it was Amit Shah in Parliament and today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is misleading the country by taking my name. What do they want to say?

'Was it wrong to write to then home minister P Chidambaram for making facilities available to those who had come to the border areas of Rajasthan from Pakistan after facing persecution,' Gehlot asked in a tweet in Hindi.

'Who is creating obstacles as regards giving citizenship/facilities to those who are coming here even now after facing persecution? Who, be it a Hindu or a Muslim, can have a problem with this?

'The problem is that the home minister is provoking by announcing that the NRC would be implemented in the entire country, despite the fact that they could not implement it in Assam,' the senior Congress leader said.

Modi took Gehlot's name at a rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, while targeting the Congress over the amended Citizenship Act.

On December 11, Shah had made a reference in the Rajya Sabha to a letter written by Gehlot, during his earlier term as the Rajasthan chief minister, to then home minister Phidambaram on the issue of Pakistani migrants belonging to the Hindu and Sikh communities in the state.  -- PTI

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday, alleging that the new citizenship law has been brought in to 'divert the attention' from the 'virtually destroyed' economy and rising unemployment.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Yadav said people were made to stand in line to withdraw cash during the demonetisation exercise and now they will have to stand in queue for their rights due to National Register of Citizens.

"The economy is in dire straits, has been virtually destroyed, unemployment is at an all-time high. To divert the attention from these issues, CAA was enacted," he told reporters.  -- PTI

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday made an unscheduled visit to Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh and met families of two persons, killed in recent violence over the amended citizenship law.

Local Congress leaders said she visited Nahtaur area of the district to meet families of the two persons, who died in the recent violence over the new provisions in the law.

UP Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu told PTI that the party general secretary also interacted with people in the area.

Bijnor was one of the districts in Uttar Pradesh affected by violence by anti-CAA protesters who hurled stones and brickbats at policemen, and torched some vehicles.  --  PTI

Terming as 'disturbing' reports of police allegedly entering hospitals in violence-hit areas during agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said such actions are 'unacceptable' and demanded that hospitals be declared 'safe zones'.

The doctors' body said hospitals are sacrosanct and are exempted from violence even in a war zone.

"What makes the IMA react today is that disturbing reports of denial of access to medical care are emerging. This is unacceptable. Everyone has the right to access medical care.

"The government and its establishment have no right to deny anyone their right of access. Visuals of a policeman violently opening an ICU door by stomping is a clear indication of the new truth and the new standards," the IMA said in a statement.

Asserting that violence in hospitals is not acceptable, the doctor's body said that it stands up for retaining hospitals as safe zones.

"There are disturbing reports from areas of protests and resistance that police have entered hospitals and at least in one case the ICU.

"This is a new low in civic life of the nation but not entirely unexpected given the impunity with which violence is heaped on doctors and hospitals. However the difference this time is that it is the establishment which has lost its restraint," it said.  -- PTI

The death toll in the violence that occurred during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut two days ago rose to five, a senior police official said on Sunday.

The deceased have been identified as Mohsin, Aasif, Zahir, Aalim, all residents of Meerut, and Asif from Delhi, Inspector General Alok Singh said.

During the protests on Friday, protesters had torched vehicles and pelted stones at police, who used lathi charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse mobs.

35 policemen were also injured in Friday's violence. They are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the city, Singh said.

Police have arrested 102 people in connection with the violence and efforts are on to nab the other suspects, he added.Singh said internet services have been shut down for now and social media is being continuously monitored for inflammatory posts.

To maintain law and order, peace committees have been constituted under police stations and local residents have also been roped in, he said.  -- PTI

Concluding his Ramlila Maidan address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people to shun violence during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act.

Modi slammed the Congress and other opposition parties for lying over the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

"There are lies being spread about NRC, they (opposition) are blowing it out of proportion. It was made during the times of Congress, was everyone sleeping then? We did not make it, neither did it arrive in the Parliament or the Cabinet, neither has any rule or regulation to decide it been framed," Modi said at the rally.

He said the Congress and 'Urban Naxals' are spreading rumours about the new law

"The Congress and its friends, some Urban Naxals are spreading rumours that all Muslims will be sent to detention centres... Respect your education, read what the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC are. You are educated," Modi lashed out at his party's mega rally.

"The Muslims of the Indian soil, whose forefathers are the sons of India, have nothing to be bothered about by either the NRC or the CAA.

"Neither is there any detention centre in India nor will any Indian Muslim be sent to it," Modi added.

Further stating that both the CAA and NRC do not concern any Indian including the Muslim population of the nation Modi said, "CAA is not for any Indian, be it a Hindu or Muslim. This has been said in the Parliament too, the CAA has no relation with any of the 130 crore Indians living in the country."

"Will, we (BJP) make one law to grant homes to the people irrespective of their religion and then drive them out? Have they gone mad?" he asked in connection with the move to grant ownership rights to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies in Delhi.

"After I came to power in 2014, the government has held no discussions over NRC. We did carry out the NRC exercise in Assam, but it was at the orders of the Supreme Court," Modi added.

He said that the Congress and its allies are upset 'due to the support I received from Muslim countries'.

"The Congress, others worried if Muslims across the world support me so much, how long can they frighten Indian Muslims," Modi said.

All attempts are being made (by rivals) to remove me from their path, said Modi.  -- PTI/ANI

"Citizenship Amendment Act or National Register of Citizens have nothing to do with Muslims of India, whose ancestors were children of Mother India.

"No Indian Muslims is going to be sent to any detention centre, nor do we have any detention centre in India.

"I urge you not to believe the lies being spread by the Congress or these Urban Naxals.

"I request these educated people to please read the law before spreading misinformation about it," PM Modi at Ramlila Maidan.

"Lie is being spread that I brought law to snatch people's rights, it will not stand," Modi said at Ramlila Maidan.

"Muslims being misled, I have always ensured that documents will never come in way of development schemes and their beneficiaries," he said.

"I dare rivals to find anything discriminatory in my work, said Modi, citing his government's various development programmes.

The Citizenship Amendment Act is not for any citizen of India, be it HIndu or Muslim. This law doesn't apply to any of 130 crore Indians, the PM said.

"We did not bring NRC. The Congress did. The NRC is not yet debated in Parliament or the Cabinet. No guidelines have been formed so far," Modi said at the rally.  -- PTI/ANI

  -- PTI

PM's address at Ramlila Maidan continues. He lists the schemes of his government, asking people if the government ever asked beneficiaries their religion?

"Some political parties are spreading rumours, they're misleading people and inciting them. I want to ask them, when we authroised the unauthrosied colonies, did we ask anyone their religion?

"Did we ask which political party they support? Did we ask for documents from 1970,1980?

"Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians all were befitted, everyone who lives here was benefited. Why did we do this? Because we live for the love of the country.

"We are dedicated to the mantra of 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas'," he said.

"People were incited, those in high positions shared fake videos," Modi said on protests against the citizenship law.

"We implemented Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Yojna, did we ever ask anybody what is your religion before giving them the benefits of the scheme. Then why are we being maligned in this way by some people?" he asked people.  -- ANI/PTI/Agencies

PM Modi's address at Ramlila Maidan:

"Even after several decades after Independence, a large section of population in Delhi had to face fear, uncertainty, deceit and false electoral promises.

"Illegal, sealing, bulldozer and a cut-off date -- life of a large population in Delhi' was confined around these words," Modi said.

"I and the Baharaiya Janata Party got chance to usher in a new dawn for over 40 lakh people by giving them ownership rights to their houses," he said.

"You should know what those people, whom you were asking for something for yourself, were doing. They had illegally given 2,000 lavish bungalows to their people. No one knows what was given to whom in lieu of that," Modi alleged.

People who play politics in your name don't understand your problems, the PM tells the public present at the venue.

"Had the Delhi govt not politicised the phase 4 project of Delhi metro, its work would have started much earlier.

"That is why I say that those who do politics in your name, never understood your pain, they never intended to do that," he said.  -- Agencies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at Ramlila Maidan ground begins.

The PM started his address with making the public shout 'vividhata me ekta, Bharat ki visheshta (India's uniqueness lies in its unity in diversity)'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Ramlila Maidan.

He will address a rally here, shortly.  -- ANI

The Pakistan army violated ceasefire by resorting to shelling and firing on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesperson said on Sunday.

The firing from across the border started in Rajouri's Nowshera sector on Sunday morning and that in Mendhar, Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors went on overnight, he said.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly in all sectors and there was no report of any casualty in Pakistani firing, the spokesperson said, adding that casualties suffered by the other side were not known immediately.

"At about 10.15 am (on Sunday), Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in Nowshera sector (Rajouri). The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly," he said.

"There was also ceasefire violation by Pakistan at many places in Mendhar, Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors during the intervening night of December 21 and 22," he added.

According to the spokesperson, the cross-border firing stopped in Poonch district early in the morning but it is still going on in Rajouri.

A police official said a number of villages in Nowshera sector were hit by Pakistani shelling.  -- PTI

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will lead a 'silent and peaceful' march against the new citizenship law in Jaipur later on Sunday and said it will be attended by members of all communities and several political parties opposed to the legislation.

Mobile internet services have been suspended in Jaipur till 8 pm as a precautionary measure.

"It is going to be a silent and peaceful march. No slogan will be raised and participants will be carrying placards with messages for Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Gehlot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee Office before leaving for the rally from Albert hall to Gandhi Circle on JLN Road.

Alleging that the Centre has created an environment of fear and insecurity, he demanded that the amended citizenship act be scrapped.

He said members from all communities and all walks of life will participate in the march. Members of political parties such as Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Janata Dal-United, Aam Aasmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Janata Dal-Secular would also attend it.

Various Muslim groups are holding a protest meeting against the CAA at Motidoongari road and after the meeting is over, the members are likely to join the march.

PCC president Sachin Pilot said the law was 'against the spirit of Constitution' and would fail judicial scrutiny.  -- PTI

Curfew was on Sunday morning lifted in Shillong, as no report of violence or arson over the amended citizenship Act was reported from any part of the city, officials said.

People were seen flocking to local shops to buy essential items and Christmas goodies and gifts.

Streets in the state capital were being decked out in Christmas lights and festoons since morning.

Curfew was imposed on areas under Sadar and Lumdiengjri police stations in the city since December 12 as anti-citizenship law protests turned violent, leaving several injured and properties vandalised.

Over the past few days, prohibitory orders were relaxed during the day, but night curfew was still in force to avoid breakdown of law and order.

East Khasi Hills district magistrate M W Nongbri said the curfew was completely lifted from 4 am on Sunday.

Mobile Internet and messaging services, which were withdrawn as a precautionary measure to prevent circulation of fake news, were also restored on Friday night.

The Meghalaya assembly had earlier this week unanimously adopted a resolution to urge the Centre to extend Inner Line Permit regime to the state to keep it out of the purview of the contentious law.  -- PTI

Curfew has been relaxed in Mangaluru till 6 pm today by district administration. However, Section 144 (prohibiting assembly of more than four people in an area) to remain in force.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has announced Rs 10 lakh each as compensation to the families of the two people who were killed in police firing during protests in Mangaluru on December 19.

The police FIR, however, mentions the names of the two persons.

Both died at a private hospital following the bullet injuries they sustained in police firing during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

They have been identified as Jaleel, 43, of Kudroli and Nousheen, 49, of Bengre.

Meanwhile, another FIR has been filed against Congress leader U T Khader at Pandeshwar police station in Mangaluru.

The complaint was filed by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Sandesh Kumar who alleged that Khader delivered an inciting speech on December 18.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation on Sunday resumed bus services after stone-pelting incidents occurred during the protests in Mangaluru.

The situation is being closely monitored as Section 144 will come into effect from December 23 in Mangaluru.

Yediyurappa on Saturday had stated that curfew in Bengaluru will be relaxed during day-time on Saturday, while Section 144 will be implemented in Mangaluru from December, 23.

According to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), vehicle operation started in the morning in Mangaluru division, except Mangaluru to Kasaragod sector after consulting police officers.

Last night 50 vehicles operated with the same instructions and protection.   -- ANI

Tweets with calibrated, veiled and cryptic messages meant to take down political opponents have come as a regular from Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. Amid ceaseless unrest across India over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, Raut in a veiled message seems to have targeted the Central government over the new legislation. 

In a Sunday morning tweet, the Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra posted a phrase in Hindi that read, "Everyone's blood is mixed with the soil here. India is not anyone's inherent property."

Last week, amid the Savarkar row and Shiv Sena's stand on CAA, Sanjay Raut had posted yet another cryptic tweet taking a jibe at BJP. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Raut said that his intention and stand are clear and that is why people are always against him. This seemed to be a dig at former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other BJP leaders who have been slamming the Sena for allegedly compromising with its ideology for the sake of power.

The BJP government has drawn huge flak from citizens across India against the CAA that fast-tracks citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants from neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. 

The government says the law is necessary to provide relief to thousands of people fleeing persecution in those countries because of their faith. Opponents of the law contend that the bill purposely leaves out Muslim immigrants and does not provide relief to those fleeing similar persecution in neighbouring Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

The Jamia Millia Islamia has submitted a fresh report to the HRD ministry requesting judicial inquiry into the entry of police on the university premises last Sunday. 

  

The varsity had earlier submitted reports in the matter on December 15-16.

In the fresh report submitted to the ministry on December 20, Jamia reiterated its request for initiation of an inquiry committee or a judicial inquiry to the incident. 

In its report, the varsity mentioned that police used teargas and lathicharge to disperse protesters gathered on Mathura Road and Julena Road. 

The protesters while retreating took Maulana Mohd. Ali Jauhar Marg, which passes through the university campus, the varsity said in its report submitted by the registrar of  Jamia. 

The police had on December 15 purportedly stormed the library while looking for 'outsiders' who were involved in the arson and violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest outside the campus.

While pushing the crowd on this road, the Delhi Police entered inside the campus through Gate Numbers 4 and 7 by "breaking the lock, beating the guards on duty and window and doors of the library, lobbed the teargas shell inside the reading room then forcefully entered inside and beat all the students studying inside the library brutally", they claimed in the report. 

It is submitted that no permission to enter inside the campus or library was given by university authorities.  

"This unprovoked targeting of the innocent students who have nothing to do with the crowd resulted into severe and inhuman beating which led to the fracture of hands, legs and one student lost his eyesight because of the direct hit on the left eye by lathi," the varsity claimed. 

"The faith in law and order and establishment has been badly shaken of the student who lost his eyesight after this brutal unprovoked targeting of such innocent students of the university," the report said. 

While citing that the injured students were detained in New Friends Colony and Kalkaji police stations, the varsity urged that the committee should probe the unauthorised entry of police inside the campus. 

It also requested a probe into the alleged use of "force and infliction of brutal and grievous physical injuries on the students" who were studying inside the reading rooms of the library.

"The committee should also probe the vandalising and damaging the properties of the library/university and also damaging the two-wheelers parked in the vicinity of library," the report said. 

An early action as to the Constitution of a time-bound high-powered committee or judicial inquiry will "restore the sense of justice on the students", it requested.

On Friday, the National Human Rights Commission visited the campus to probe the incident. The varsity wrote a letter to the commission to investigate the matter after the visit.

Jamia also wrote a letter to the joint commissioner of police, southern range, to take immediate action on the complaint filed by the varsity on which action has not been taken till now. 

BJP MP Pragya Thakur has filed a complaint with the Bhopal Airport Director alleging that she was not allotted the seat that she had booked in a Spicejet flight and the conduct of the airline crew with her was not right.

The Lok Sabha MP from Bhopal filed the complaint on Saturday after allegedly being inconvenienced onboard a flight. "I informed the authorities that the SpiceJet crew had misbehaved with me. This had happened once before as well and this time I was not even given the seat which was booked by me," Thakur said.

"I approached the Airport Director and filed a written complaint with him regarding the same. Trains, flights are for the convenience of the public, as public representatives we are responsible for the treatment common people will get. Therefore, it was my responsibility to file a complaint regarding this," she added.

Anil Vikram, Airport Director, Bhopal acknowledged receiving a written complaint from the Bhopal MP and added that an enquiry is being held, as a part of which the SpiceJet crew will be questioned regarding the incident.

"We received a complaint from the MP about the incident. At present we cannot comment over the issue as it is an internal process. We will seek information from SpiceJet and their crews about the incident with MP in details, because SpiceJet has their own rules and regulation for such kind of incident," Airport director Vikram said in a statement. 

The internet services have been restored in Mangaluru. The Karnataka government had earlier suspended mobile Internet services in Dakshina Kannada district on Thursday night for the next 48 hours after two persons were killed in police firing during violent protests in Mangaluru against the controversial citizenship law.

The internet services in Aligarh have been restored. The internet services were suspended in Aligarh from December 15 after violence broke out during protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The fight against the new citizenship law is "not just the issue of Muslims" but concerns all Indians and there should be a sustained struggle against the legislation, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has claimed.

  

"Why should I stand in queue and tell that I am an Indian? I have been born in this land. I am a citizen (of India). All 100 crore Indians have to stand in queue (to submit proof of citizenship). This is not just the issue of Muslims but an issue concerning all Indians. I am telling 'Modi-bhakts' also. You also have to stand in queue and bring documents," the Hyderabad MP said.

Owaisi asserted that Indian Muslims had chosen to remain India at the time of partition by rejecting "Jinnah's two-nation theory".

Claiming that BJP cited the existence of many Islamic nations, he asked what does he have to do with them.

"I am concerned about India and only India and my love is only with India. (You say) so many Islamic countries! You go there. Why are you telling me," he said.

"I am Indian by choice and also by birth... If you want to fire bullets, fire. Your bullets would finish, but my love for India would not end. Our endeavour is to not hit but save the country," he said.

The fight of Indian Muslims is for respect as they are being doubted even after 70 years, which, he said, is an insult.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and several senior ministers and BJP leaders are set to address a Vishal Rally in Delhis Ramlila Maidan today amid intense protests across India against the contentious National Register of Citizens and Citizenship Amendment Act.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for PM Modi's rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, which is a little over a kilometre away from Old Delhi's Daryaganj that was hit by violence on Friday during the protest against the amended Citizenship Act. 

According to sources, senior officials remained in huddle till 5 am on Saturday to discuss the security arrangements. In the meeting, among other things, it was decided that social media should be monitored to stop rumour-mongering, especially in the wake of ongoing protests against the contentious legislation.

The Indians on board the Hong Kong-flagged 'VLCC, NAVE CONSTELLATION' were attacked by pirates during the evening hours of December 3 while transiting through Nigeria.