Anti-CAA protests: 20 metro stations shut in Delhi; traffic hit

New Delhi, Dec 19: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Thursday closed gates of 20 more metro stations in view of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Now, the entry and exit gates of Rajiv Chowk are closed for commuters.

Earlier in the morning, the DMRC had closed gates of seven metro stations, including Jamia Millia, Jama Masjid and Munirka "Entry & exit gates of Patel Chowk, Lok Kalyan Marg, Udyog Bhawan, ITO, Pragati Maidan and Khan Market are closed. Trains will not be halting at these stations," the DMRC tweeted. The gates of Central Secretariat were also closed but interchange facility was available for passengers.

Anger over the police crackdown in Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia and at the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act cascaded across many campuses in the country with politicians and civil society supporting the students to decry what they say is an unconstitutional law.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Delhi Police denied permission to Left-backed students' body AISA and Swaraj Abhiyan to hold a protest march against the Citizenship Amendment Act on December 19 from Red Fort citing law and order issues, officials said.

However, a functionary of the All India Students' Association (AISA) said the group will go ahead regardless. The permission for the protest march was denied due to law and order and traffic issues, the police said.

Thursday's march will commence from Red Fort and culminate at Shaheed Park near ITO. Other civil society groups will also take part in it, the AISA functionary said.

"December 19 is the martyrdom day of (freedom fighters) Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan. We will unite on the special day to resist CAA and also raise our voice against the police brutality in Jamia and AMU campuses," the AISA functionary said.

Hundreds, including students, were injured as protesters clashed with police during protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) near Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University and in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Sunday.

According to the amended Citizenship Act, non-Muslim refugees, who came to India before December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be granted Indian citizenship.

Here is the updated list of metro stations where entry and exit gates have been closed.

Pragati Maidan
Central Secretariat (Transit facility available)
Patel Chowk
Udyog Bhawan​
Khan Market
Lal Quila,
Jama Masjid,
Chandni Chowk
Vishwavidyalaya
Jamia Millia Islamia,
Jasola Vihar,
Shaheen Bagh
Munirka​
ITO
Central Secretariat
Vasant Vihar
Mandi House
Barakhamba
Janpath and Rajiv Chowk.