Massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act are happening simultaneously in several cities in India. 18 metro stations are shut in Delhi and telecom service providers have also suspended data services. The agitation that intensified after the police crackdown on students of Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday refuses to die down.
In light of the protests and police crackdown writer and activist Arundhati Roy released a statement saying, “India is standing up. This government stands exposed and discredited.”
Here is the full text of her statement:
“India is standing up. This government stands exposed and discredited. This is a day when love and solidarity face down bigotry and facism. Everybody has joined in to protest against the unconstitutional CAB and NRC. We are Dalits, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Adivasis, Marxists, Ambedkarites, Farmers, Workers, Academics, Writers, Poets, Painters and most of all Students who are the future of this country.
This time you will not stop us.”
Over 10,000 academics, scholars, teachers, students and members of civil society have also issued a statement to condemn the police brutality at Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The signatories included Romila Thapar, Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, Nivedita Menon, Partha Chatterjee and Tanika Sarkar.