The anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests continued for the third day in educational institutions. On Tuesday, March 12, the All India Students' Association (AISA) organised an All India Protest condemning the act. "The protest resulted in the detainment of over 60 students," said AISA General Secretary Prasenjeet Kumar, adding that the detained students were released after some time.
Prasenjeet told EdexLive, "Today (March 13) protests against CAA are being held individually by various colleges across India. Our activists in Lucknow and Varanasi are not being permitted to stage protests by the police. However, we strongly resist the implementation of CAA."
The protests criticising the act started after the Centre issued a notice on March 11. Additionally, various student unions have staged silent vigil, protests and demonstrations across educational institutions in India.
In a joint statement issued by AISA President Nilasis Bose and Prasenjeet after the protest, they said, "The BJP-led Central Government has delivered yet another blow to the democracy and secular fabric of the nation. The widespread and strong resistance against the patently unjust, discriminatory and divisive CAA in December 2019 and the fight put up by the people to uphold the Constitution and democracy was quelled by the government."
"The Sangh Brigade is going all out to implement their communal agenda, to destroy the secular, democratic, socialist, and fraternal vision of the Indian Constitution. We the students and youth of this country must challenge, resist and defend the Constitutional foundations and defeat the Modi-led BJP Government in the upcoming elections," the statement said.
Other protests
The Students' Federation of India unit of Pondicherry University (SFI PU) conducted a protest gathering and burnt copies of the CAA today, March 13. Similarly, at Hyderabad Central University or University of Hyderabad (HCU/UoH), students burnt the notification of CAA condemning "the centre’s latest move to implement the discriminatory act".
The protest gathering was organised by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) of the varsity on March 12. Later in the evening, a march was organised by the SFI unit of HCU.
