“Na Hindu jalega, na Musalman jalega, tum aag lagaoge to insaan jalega (Neither Hindus nor Muslims will burn, if you light a fire humanity will burn).”

With slogans like this, a fresh wave of protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) came from Wasseypur on Tuesday as more than 4,000 people took out a march from Ara Mor amid heavy police bandobast around 10am.

The Indian cabinet has approved funds for a census and a population survey to be held in 2020 despite weeks of protests over a citizenship law that critics say is anti-Muslim.

The almost-five-hour protest march began from Ara Mor in Wasseypur and passed through Rangatand Chowk, Puja Talkies, Bekar Bandh, Combined Building Chowk, Luby Circular Road and finally reached at Randhir Verma Chowk from where they returned back to Wasseypur through Court Mor, the railway station and Rangatand Chowk.

Protesters held placards, banners and posters with slogans such as “Jahan paida hue hain wahin dafan bhi honge (Where I was born I will die there)”, “Divide karke chalate hain rajya kya? Logon ko pitne se thamti hai awaz kya? (can one divide and govern? Can one beat people to gag voices?), “India needs better economy, better healthcare, not religious hatred”, “Reject CAA”.

They shouted slogans such as “Hum leke rahenge azadi, CAA se azadi, NRC se azadi, NPR se azadi; Ekta ka raj chalega, Hindu-Muslim saath chalega.”