Tension prevails in Bengal amid anti-CAA protests

20:52 December 14

CAA protests in West Bengal: Several trains cancelled

In view of the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, trains services in Kolkata have severely been affected.

People of Kolkata staged a protest on railway tracks against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The train services on New Farakka - Azimganj and Rampurhat - Gumani sections have been cancelled.

The trains cancelled for December 14 include 15721 UP Digha - New Jalpaiguri Paharia Express, 13142 DN New Alipurduar - Sealdah Teesta Torsa Express and 13146 DN Radhikapur - Kolkata express.

13141 UP Sealdah - New Alipurduar Teesta Torsa Express, 13465 UP/13466 DN Howrah - Malda - Howrah Intercity Express, 13145 UP Kolkata - Radhikapur Express have been cancelled for December 15.

Train no. 13033 UP Howrah - Katihar Express, 12517 UP Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath Express, 13142 DN New Alipurduar - Sealdah Teesta Torsa Express for December 15 have also been cancelled.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, provides Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed from Parliament earlier this week and became an Act with Presidential assent on November 12.

18:30 December 14

Protesters vandalise railway stations, block roads in West Bengal

Protests over the amended Citizenship Act reached the shores of West Bengal on Saturday, with agitators resorting to violence and arson at railway stations and thoroughfares across the state, seeking immediate revocation of the law.

According to police sources, people in the minority-dominated districts of rural Howrah, Murshidabad, Birbhum, parts of Burdwan and North Bengal hit the streets in the morning, raising slogans against the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

17:46 December 14

WB governor on CAA: Those like me holds Constitutional positions, has to believe in it

Reacting on the implementation of  Citizenship Amendment Act, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said," If the Parliament in its wisdom has given us a law, which is the rule of the land, everyone particularly those like me and others who hold Constitutional positions has to believe in it. This law is applicable all over the country. I can't say I will not go by it, no one else can say it. If anyone has taken oath under the Constitution they can't say it will be challenged. I appeal to everyone, please don't politicise the issue."

15:51 December 14

Mamata promised CAA will not be implemented, appeal protesters to maintain peace and tranquility in state

After a huge protest against Citizen Amendment Act, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "I request everyone to not create any disturbance or involve in any kind of violence. Be sure that the Citizenship Amendment Act & National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be implemented in Bengal as we won't allow it. Please don't block roads&take law in hands."

14:26 December 14

Protests against Citizenship Act continue in West Bengal

Protests against Citizenship Act continue in West Bengal

Road and rail blockades continued in different parts of West Bengal on Saturday by people protesting against the amended Citizenship Act.

Incidents of protest were reported from Keshpur village of Medinipur and several other districts of West Bengal.

10:06 December 14

Tension prevails in Bengal amid anti-CAA protests

Kolkata:Tension prevailed in West Bengal on Saturday, a day after protesters against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) blocked roads and vandalised railway stations, leading to disruptions in vehicular movement and train services.

On Friday, a mob, carrying posters against the CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens, vandalised the Beldanga railway station of Eastern Railway in Murshidabad district, forcing the railway employees to flee.

The protesters torched the station master's cabin and ransacked the ticket counter before setting it on fire.

They also sat on the track, disrupting train movement between Lalgola and Krishnanagar.

Another large group of protesters obstructed the National highway at Beldanga, burning tyres and damaging vehicles, including an ambulance.

Vehicular traffic was halted at various points of the district, including Jalangi, Raghunathganj, Sahmserganj, Kandi, Baharampur and Domkal.

In Howrah district, angry protesters barged into the Uluberia station under South Eastern Railway and vandalised its premises.

The mob earlier blockaded the track, adversely hitting train movements on the Howrah-Kharagpur section on both up and down lines.

The Howrah-Coromondol Express and the Howrah-Digha Kandari Express were damaged in the attack.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar appealed for peace and asked people to believe in the rule of law and the laws passed by Parliament and described the violence as unfortunate.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of spreading lawlessness through her statements opposing the CAA.

BJP National General Secretary in-charge of the state Kailash Vijayvargiya alleged that the "shameful incidents" in Bengal were engineered by the infiltrators.

Besides West Bengal, the northeastern region, especially in the states of Assam, Tripura and now Meghalaya, have witnessed widespread violent protests against the CAA.

Before becoming a law, the CAB was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh with a cut-off date of December 31, 2014.