Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad taken into police custody

Azad was taken into custody from outside the Jama Masjid

India Citizenship Law Protest Chandrashekhar Azad, center in white, join others for a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act after Friday prayers outside Jama Masjid in New Delhi | AP

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was taken into police custody from outside the Jama Masjid of Delhi in the early hours on Saturday morning.

He was inside the mosque in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. 

"We have to make sacrifice so that the legislation is taken back. We do not support violence. We were sitting inside the mosque since Friday morning and our people were not involved in violence," he said.

Azad gave the Delhi Police a slip to reach Jama Masjid, said his name is 'Azad' and police cannot hold him captive.

He told PTI that he sneaked into the Jama Masjid around 1:30 pm, wearing a skull cap and wrapping himself in a long shawl to hide his identity.

Azad, whose name means free or independent, said his group was not involved in the violence near Delhi Gate on Friday.

"Policemen dressed as civilians are instigating violence in a bid to scuttle the protests," he alleged.

Asked how he breached the tight security ring outside the Jama Masjid on Friday afternoon, he said, "My name is Chandrashekhar Azad. Police cannot hold me captive. I wore a cap and a shawl and entered the masjid easily."

The Dalit group leader claimed that 54 per cent of Dalits are landless. "How can we furnish documents of 1955. The government will snatch our right to vote, our reservation, SC/ST Act..." he said.

The proposed National Register of Citizens is going to impact Muslims and Dalits the most, Azad claimed.

"They could not keep the Rafale files safe in lockers, how can they ask us to furnish documents? They cannot show their degrees to us. Why should we?" he said.

The protest will continue till Home Minister Amit Shah resigns, he said, adding he will soon address the protesters at Jamia Millia Islamia.

In the evening, Delhi Police resorted to lathicharge and used water cannon to disperse protesters near Delhi Gate as violence marked a march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Friday with stones being hurled on security personnel.

Azad had urged his supporters to carry on the protest peacefully.

"Those who are indulging in violence are not our people. Our peaceful protest continues at the historic Jama Masjid. Ambedkarites do not indulge in violence.

"Those indulging in violence are from RSS and not from our outfit. I am at Jama Masjid and will stay here. Those who commit violence want to weaken our movement," Azad had tweeted in Hindi. 

Journalist, social activists detailed

Meanwhile, a journalist and three women social activists were allegedly detained in Lucknow on Friday in connection with the ongoing protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, but police officials denied making any such detention.

Journalist Omar Rashid of The Hindu claimed he was sitting at a restaurant with his friends when police in plain clothes picked him up labelling him as a "rioter".

"I told them that I am a journalist, showed them my identity card, and asked why were they taking me with them. They took away my phone and hurled abuses too," Rashid said.

He said one of his friends, Robin Verma, was also taken into custody at Hazratganj police station. and he (Verma) was allegedly beaten with a belt by police.

"The police told me that I had orchestrated the Thursday protest against the CAA in the city and I will be booked for conspiring the episode," Rashid said.

He said later, they were taken to Sultanpuri police post and released after the intervention of the UP DGP O P Singh.

The scribe said that Circle Officer Hazratganj Abhay Kumar Mishra later came to see him and apologised for the "mistake in identity".

An official from Hazratganj police station denied any such detention.

PTI tried to contact Misra for his comments but he could not be reached immediately.

Meanwhile, Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey alleged that his wife Arundhati Dhuru and her two social activist friends were also detained briefly at the Hazratganj police station.

The official also denied this.

Pandey claimed, "They all had gone to see Rihai Manch president Shoib who was taken into custody following the CAA protests. The police told Arundhati, Meera Sanghamitra and Madhvi Kukreja that they were also involved in the Thursday violence and detained them. They were released in the night."