After Jamia and AMU, Nadwa in Lucknow erupts in protest over citizenship law

The students raised slogans in support of students of Delhi’s Jamia university, the police said.

After Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), violence broke out at Nadwa college in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow over the new citizenship law.

Police close gate of Nadwa college where students protested against the new citizenship law. (ANI Photo)

A group of students Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, or Nadwa college, had on Sunday night attempted to come outside and reportedly raised slogans against the arrest of Jamia students by Delhi Police. The teams of Uttar Pradesh Police were rushed to the spot who along with the Nadwa administration took the students inside.

But on Monday morning, the number of protesters started swelling up and the police had to close the gate of the college from outside.

“There was stone pelting for about 30 seconds when around 150 people had come out to protest and raise slogans. The situation is normal now, students are going back to their classrooms,” said Lucknow Superintendent of Police, Kalanidhi Naithani.

The students were raising slogans in support of students of Delhi’s Jamia university, who clashed with the police on Sunday during a protest against the amended citizenship law. Nadwa College was closed till January 5, 2020.

There were protests by students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) too in supported the Jamia agitation. After a clash between the police and protesting students, the university administration announced closure of the institution till January 5. “Students have been asked to vacate their hostels,” AMU Registrar Abdul Hamid said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a statement after protests at AMU campus. “People should not pay any attention to the rumours about Citizenship Amendment Act being spread by some vested interests,” he said in the statement, assuring that the state government is committed to provide security to every citizen of Uttar Pradesh.

The AMU campus has been sealed and heavy patrolling is underway, university officials said on Monday.

After the police crackdown on the Jamia students, protests erupted on campuses across the country. Students of Moulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), in Hyderabad, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi and Kolkata’s Jadavpur University also held demonstrations in solidarity with the Jamia students.