Bengaluru: Section 144 has been imposed in the parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru ahead of the large scale protests planned here on Thursday.
Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973 authorises the Executive Magistrate of any state or territory to issue an order to prohibit the assembly of four or more people in an area. According to the law, every member of such 'unlawful assembly' can be booked for engaging in rioting.
About 500 baton-wielding police personnel have been deployed at Town Hall in Bengaluru central to prevent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and prevent untoward incidents, police said on Thursday.
"As a three-day ban on assembling of more than four persons in public places is in force since 6.00 a.m., and protest rallies or sit-in demonstrations are not allowed, we have stepped up security at the Town Hall, Mysore Bank circle and Freedom Park in the city centre to prevent any untoward incident and maintain peace," Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) Chetan Singh said.
A consortium of Left wing, Muslim organisations and college students' associations in the state have joined the day-long all-India shutdown (Bharat bandh) to protest against the CAA and the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and were asking for repealing both as they were discriminatory and draconian.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Dakshina Kannada district till the midnight of December 21 in the backdrop of the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh has enforced prohibitory orders in the entire district in view of the possibility of the law order situation and public peace getting vitiated.
Mangaluru city police Commissioner P S Harsha had on Wednesday promulgated prohibitory orders within the commissionerate limits from December 18 till the midnight of December 20.
The police have information about certain organisations having given call for Bharath Bandh on Thursday and Friday in protest against implementation of CAA.
Historian Ramachandra Guha was among many detained on Thursday during a protest against Citizenship Act in Bengaluru. He was participating in the protest at the Town Hall.
Yediyurappa vouches for 100% implementation of Act
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday called for peace and tried to allay fears among the Muslim community regarding the law.
The imposition of the ban comes amidst Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa declaration that his government will "hundred per cent" implement the Citizenship Amendment Act.
"Hundred per cent we will implement," he told reporters at Hubballi in north Karnataka in response to a question regarding the implementation of the CAA.
State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had said on Tuesday that for "political reasons" several state governments have taken divergent views on the CAA's implementation, "but taking the constitutional position Karnataka will implement it."
"The bill to this effect has been passed by Parliament, President has given his assent, it is law now for the whole country, so it is applicable to Karnataka also," Bommai said.
The Home minister expressed confidence that there will be no violence in "peace-loving" Karnataka, where police have taken precautionary measures.
Chief ministers of several states like West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have said they will not implement the law.
Different parts of the country witnessed violent protests against the citizenship (amendment) bill which was passed by Parliament and given assent by the President last week.
According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
The act says refugees of the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of 11 years earlier.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS.)