Delhi Police personnel and companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) conducted flag marches in various parts of the Capital on Tuesday, a day after the Central government implemented the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 — a law that paves the way for citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
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A police officer aware of the matter said that the flag marches were conducted in various areas of the city considered sensitive, which included Seelampur, Jafrabad, Welcome, Bhajanpura, Dayalpura, Gokulpuri, Nand Nagri, Harsh Vihar, and Khajuri Khas (all in northeast Delhi), Jahangirpuri, Adarsh Nagar, and Bharat Nagar (all in northwest Delhi), Sarai Rohilla, Inderlok, Sadar Bazaar, and Bara Hindu Rao (north Delhi), Jama Masjid, Hauz Kazi, Daryaganj, Chandni Mahan, and Paharganj (central Delhi), Jamia Nagar, and Shaheen Bagh (southeast Delhi), and Khyala, Tilak Nagar, Raghuvir Nagar, Nangloi and Sultanpuri (west Delhi).
“Instead of using too many CAPF companies, which have been stationed in Delhi to tackle the farmers’ protest, we used our own manpower from all units, including traffic, crime, special cell and police headquarters. Altogether, around 25 companies of CAPF were used in the flag marches, while the remaining paramilitary companies were relieved for their other assignments. No incident of agitation or violence was reported from any place in the national capital, and as a result, no detention was done during the flag marches on Tuesday,” the officer said, on condition of anonymity.
Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Joy Tirkey said police personnel are keeping a strict vigil in the area in light of the February 2020 communal riots in that part of town, which erupted during protests against CAA and led to the deaths of 53 people.
“The safety of every individual is our responsibility. Since it was not a good experience for police in 2020, we’ll not take any chance this time,” Tirkey said.
The DCP said that the police have had a series of meetings with members of Aman Committees. “We are keeping a round-the-clock surveillance on the activities of potential troublemakers and known history-sheeters. We are in touch with our beat constables and keeping an eye on social media too… Special care is also being taken in sensitive areas through drones,” Tirkey said.
Meanwhile, DCP (northwest) Jitendra Meena said intensive patrolling and checking has been stepped up in the district. “Night patrolling has also been intensified in sensitive areas such as Jahangirpuri. No one will be allowed to breach the law-and-order situation,” he said.
Read here: Flag marches, tighter security in Delhi, Noida, Assam after CAA implementation as authorities fear repeat of 2020
Parliament passed CAA in December 2019 and it subsequently got the President’s assent, but there were protests in several parts of the country against the law, with many opposition parties calling it “discriminatory”. The law could not come into effect as rules had not been notified till now.
With Monday’s development, the government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians — from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014.
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