Renowned Urdu journalist Shireen Dalvi returned her 2011 Special Prize by the Maharashtra State Urdu Sahitya Akademi in protest to the recently-passed, controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill in India.

According to The Hindu, the ex-editor of the Mumbai edition of Urdu newspaper ‘Avadhnama’ returned her award, saying: “I am not against citizenship for refugees, but I don’t understand why one community has been excluded.”

She also said that a country can be divided but a language can’t be, adding that Urdu is not a language of just one community.

She also said that Urdu is ‘an Indian language with roots in the country.’

Earlier, a top Indian police officer has resigned in protest against the controversial CAB issued by the New Delhi’s parliament.

The inspector-general of police (IG) for Maharashtra, Abdur Rehman, stepped down from his post as protest against the CAB. Appointed the head of the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission’s investigation wing earlier this year, Rehman left his job as it went against the “religious pluralism” and the “spirit of tolerance” in India.

Also read: One dead in India as protests escalate over citizenship law

Earlier today, a man was killed in clashes with police in India’s northeast, amid violent protests over the new federal law.

India´s parliament Wednesday passed a contentious citizenship bill amid violent protests and claims that it discriminates against Muslims as part of the Hindu-nationalist government´s agenda.

The bill will let New Delhi grant citizenship to illegal immigrants who entered India from three neighbouring countries before 2015 — but not if they are Muslim.