Australians travelling to India have been asked to exercise a high degree of caution in view of violent protests that broke out in parts of the country following the passing of the Citizenship Amendment law.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on Tuesday, has issued an alert over protests in India in response to the new Citizenship Amendment Act, turning violent.
“Demonstrations against the new Citizenship Amendment Act are taking place in parts of the country. Some have turned violent. Local authorities have imposed curfews in some areas. Transport and communications may be disrupted without notice,” the DFAT said in the latest update to its advisory on India.
According to media reports, six people have so far died and over a hundred injured in clashes as protests spread to several university campuses in different parts of India. Public and private property, including vehicles, were damaged in the national capital.
Police entered a university campus on Sunday and fired tear gas and beat up protesters with batons.
Demonstrators during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in Guwahati, Assam, India. Source: EPA
According to the DFAT, demonstrations against the new law have taken place in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Delhi NCR, including reports of violence.
The Citizenship Amendment Act gives non-Muslim, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who settled in India 2015 a path to citizenship on the grounds they faced persecution in those countries. Critics say, making religion a basis for the law is discriminatory and weakens India's secular foundations.
The DFAT says its advice level about India hasn't changed and it is “exercise a high degree of caution in India overall. Higher levels apply in some parts of the country.”
“Terrorist attacks could occur anywhere at any time. They may target foreigners and popular tourist areas. Avoid possible targets. Take official warnings seriously,” DFAT’s Smart Traveller website advises.
It also advises against travel to the newly created union territory of Jammu & Kashmir “due to the danger of armed clashes, terrorist activities and violent demonstrations” and urges to reconsider travelling to the northeastern states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur; and Chhattisgarh in central India.
Activists of various leftist student organisations participated in a torch rally in Kolkata, India on Tuesday, 17 December, 2019. Source: Getty
DFAT is also warning women against travelling alone in India.
“Women may be verbally and physically harassed or sexually assaulted. Avoid travelling alone, even in major cities and tourist sites,” the advisory reads which has remained unchanged for a number of years.
Over 350,000 Australians visit India each year and the DFAT says most of those visits are trouble-free.
