New Delhi, December 19: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the Narendra Modi government for imposing Section 144 and shutting down colleges and telephone services to suppress protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Gandhi family scion termed it as an insult to “India’s soul”. He said that the government cannot impose restrictions on holding peaceful protests. Internet in Assam Must be Restored by 5 PM Today, Orders Gauhati HC as Services Remain Suspended Due to Anti-CAA Protests.

Gandhi tweeted, “This government has no right to shut down colleges, telephones and the Internet, to halt metro trains and to impose Section144 to suppress India's voice & prevent peaceful protests. To do so is an insult to India’s soul.” His message came on a day when the government shut down internet services and closed as many as 18 metro stations in the national capital.

Rahul Gandhi's Tweet:

Earlier, the Congress MP had also said that the CAA and the National Register of Citizens are weapons of mass polarisation unleashed by fascists on India. On December 17, interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind and expressed concern over the violence and police crackdown in Jamia Milia Islamia University. Congress leaders P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, accompanied Sonia. Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act Protests Live News Updates.

Widespread protests erupted across the country after parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, last week. According to reports, close to 1,200 people were detained in Delhi on Thursday while protesting against the act. Section 144 was also imposed in various parts of the national capital.

The CAA provides Indian citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist and Jain refugees, except for Muslims. Protests intensified after Delhi Police's action against students in Jamia Millia Islamia University.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2019 07:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).