Police have clashed with demonstrators in parts of the Indian capital, Delhi, during protests over a controversial new law on migrants.<\/p>\n
The new law entitles non-Muslim migrants from three Muslim-majority countries to citizenship if they are facing religious persecution.<\/p>\n
Police used tear gas and truncheons against protesters as buses were torched and roads were blocked.<\/p>\n
Protests have raged across north and east India since the law was passed.<\/p>\n
Six people have been killed in the five days of unrest.<\/p>\n
This weekend, demonstrators in West Bengal blocked key national highways while in Assam, the state government briefly lifted a curfew to allow people to buy essential goods.<\/p>\n
The UK, US and Canada have issued travel warnings for people visiting India’s north-east, telling their citizens to “exercise caution” if travelling to the region.<\/p>\n
Students of the prestigious Jamia Millia Islamia university held a protest march which ended in clashes with the police.<\/p>\n
It is still unclear who started the violence but stones were thrown at the police who retaliated with tear gas.<\/p>\n
At least three buses and several motorcycles were set on fire.<\/p>\n
University students distanced themselves from the violence and some police officers privately admitted that local troublemakers were behind the trouble, the BBC’s Kinjal Pandya reports.<\/p>\n
The university said police later entered the campus without permission and assaulted staff and students.<\/p>\n
Police said they did what was necessary to stop the protests.<\/p>\n
Schools near the university in southern Delhi have been asked to remain closed on Monday.<\/p>\n
The law allows non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who entered India illegally, to become citizens.<\/p>\n
The Hindu-nationalist BJP government argues that the law aims to accommodate those who have fled religious persecution, the BBC’s Anbarasan Ethirajan reports from Delhi.<\/p>\n
Critics say the law is part of the government’s agenda to marginalise Muslims, and that it violates secular principles enshrined in the constitution.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week the United Nations Human Rights office voiced concern that the new law was fundamentally discriminatory in nature.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, many Assamese argue that outsiders will take over their land and jobs – eventually dominating their culture and identity.<\/p>\n
The government denies any religious bias and says Muslims are not covered by the new law because they are not religious minorities, and therefore do not need India’s protection.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"