Protests banned in national and several state capitals in bid to contain growing anger over a new ‘anti-Muslim’ law.

Protests against India’s contentious citizenship law continue as the country’s 200 million Muslims fear the legislation is part of the Hindu nationalist government’s agenda to marginalise them.

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed last week grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh but blocks naturalisation for Muslims.

Critics say the law – similar to US President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban – goes against the spirit of India’s secular constitution.

More:

• ‘We heard gunfire’: Jamia students detail police attack on campus

• India top court refuses to stop citizenship law’s implementation

• Why are so many Indians protesting against the citizenship law?

India’s Supreme Court has rejected a plea seeking to stall the implementation of the law and has fixed January 22 as the next date of hearing.

In northeastern India, protests against the new law are mainly against allowing any “foreign migrant” from Bangladesh – irrespective of religion – to settle in the region.

On December 15, nearly 200 students were injured and dozens arrested after police stormed New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), located 130km (81 miles) from the capital, to disperse the protests.

Since the assault on the two campuses, solidarity protests are being held across the South Asian country.

Here are the latest updates:

Police ban protests in New Delhi

Police have banned protests in capital New Delhi and several state capitals in an effort to contain growing dissatisfaction over the new citizenship law.

Protesters defied the ban and are holding a demonstration at New Delhi’s iconic Red Fort and surrounding historic district.

Big protests planned in India amid restrictions

Big rallies are expected across India on Thursday as the tumultuous and angry reaction builds against a citizenship law seen as discriminatory against the country’s 200 million Muslims.

Police refused a march permit for one of two large demonstrations planned in New Delhi, officials said. Organisers said they planned to march anyway.

Read more here.

Historian detained in Bengaluru: Report

India’s leading historian Ramchandra Guha is among dozens detained in the southern city of Bengaluru during a protest against the citizenship law, NDTV news website reported.

Guha was participating in a protest at the city’s Town Hall where a ban on large gatherings has been imposed.

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