New Delhi, December 16: With protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) spreading in all parts of the nation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah issued an appeal to the agitating students, asking them to undertake a detailed study of the law which they are opposing. According to Shah, no provision in the legislation mandates the revocation of citizenship of the existing citizens of India. Jamia Millia Islamia Protest Against Citizenship Amendment Act Draws National Attention: What We Know So Far.

Shah blamed the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for stoking unrest over the CAA across the country. These parties, claimed the BJP chief, are misleading the students and using them for their political advantage.

"I appeal to students to understand the Citizenship Amendment Act. There is no provision in CAA that takes away anyone's citizenship. Congress, AAP and TMC are misleading you and creating an atmosphere of violence across the country," Shah said at a poll rally in Jharkhand's Poreyahat.

Update by ANI

Protests against the CAA, which first erupted in the Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has now spread to at least 10 major institutes across the nation.

Among major varsities which witnessed enmasse class boycott and protests on Monday include Varanasi's Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Hyderabad's Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Chennai's IIT-Madras and Delhi's IIT-Bombay, among others.

The Opposition has launched a scathing attack against the Centre over the brutal police crackdown on Jamia and AMU students on Sunday night. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a demonstration at India Gate to protest the police assault against the students. "The government wants to replace democracy with tyranny. Entire Congress party, each and every worker, stands in solidarity with the students," she said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 16, 2019 08:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).