In recent weeks, tens of thousands of protesters have clashed with police in India. The protests concern India's new citizen law which the country's parliament Lok Sabha decided earlier in December.

Critics claim that the new law is a measure by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the intention of marginalizing the country's 200 million Muslims.

Most deaths have occurred in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh where 20 percent of the 200 million inhabitants are Muslims.

Uses colonial law

The authorities have so far responded with a hard line to stop the protests and used a British law from the colonial era that bans public gatherings with over a certain number of people.

The protest on Monday, led by Congress Party temporary leader Sonia Gandhi, widowed the assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

She led the Congress party for 19 years and surrendered to her son in 2017. But in August 2019, she took over as temporary party leader for the opposition party following the major election loss against Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP.

Blocks the internet

Authorities are also shutting down the internet for periods in some states and the Ministry of Information has asked broadcasters across the country to refrain from using content that could lead to further violence, says the British news agency Reuters.

The government's blockade of information has mainly affected New Delhi, the eastern state of West Bengal, the northern city of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh and the entire northeastern state of Assam, reports Reuters.

India has shut down the internet over 350 times since 2012, Reuters reports.

In the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the latest shutdown has been going on for more than 139 days, reports Reuters, citing data from the Software Freedom and Law Center (SLFC).