India's opposition Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a rally in New Delhi, India, Dec. 14, 2019. India's main opposition Congress Party on Saturday organised a mega rally to highlight what is described Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government failures. (Photo by Partha Sarkar/Xinhua)
Protests over a new citizenship law in India intensified on Saturday in the eastern state of West Bengal, officials said.
The protesters demanding its revocation resorted to violence and torched buses, railway property besides blocking roads.
The violence in the state occurred on Friday where protesters took to roads and lit bonfires of used tyres on roads and clashed with police. Saturday marked the second day of protests and violence in the state.
The violence has resulted in the disruption of road traffic and railway services, officials said. According to reports in Murshidabad district, protesters set ablaze railway equipment at Beldanga station.
Reports of violent protests are also pouring in from North 24 Paraganas and Howrah. Amid spiraling protests, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has appealed for peace and calm in the state.
"Don't block road and rail. Harassment of ordinary public will not be tolerated. Those creating trouble and taking law into their own hands will not be spared," Banerjee said in an appeal to protesters.
Banerjee is one of the most vocal critics of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and stated she will not allow its implementation in her state.
CAB was passed by both houses of Indian parliament this week. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the new legislation.
The law aims at granting citizenship to illegal immigrants belonging to six religions - Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Parsi and Christianity - from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, it has kept out Muslim immigrants from applying for citizenship.
Opposition parties and civil society members in India criticize the bill as contrary to secular principles enshrined in India's constitution as it excludes Muslims.
With this new law, the government would grant Indian citizenship to those non-Muslim immigrants who had entered the country illegally until Dec. 31, 2014. People in the northeastern states fear granting of citizenship to immigrants would endanger their status.
Massive protests rocked three northeastern states of India - Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya over the controversial CAB, following which authorities imposed curfew and suspended mobile internet services. On Thursday two people were killed and several others injured after police fired on protesters in Assam.