New Delhi: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was taken into police custody from outside the Jama Masjid 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.

On Friday, Azad had escaped when the police tried to detain him at Jama Masjid area during a massive protest against the newly-enacted citizenship law as his supporters managed to escort him out from the spot. Azad had given the Delhi Police a slip to reach the Jama Masjid yesterday.

Azad, who recently announced that he will float his own political outfit, was present in solidarity with the anti-CAA protesters. He led his supporters during the protest at the historic mosque. Tens of hundreds of people turned up in the Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi here on Friday and raised slogans denouncing the newly-enacted law.

Protestors carried posters of nationalist leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar at the rally and demanded that the new law be withdrawn. Slogans of "Aazadi" and "Tanashahi Nahi Chalegi" were raised by the protestors.

Delhi Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) MS Randhawa was also present at the spot to oversee the situation and appealed people gathered at Jama Masjid to disperse peacefully.

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This comes amid widespread protests across the country against the newly-enacted citizenship law, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

(with inputs from agencies)