Hundreds of protestors on Wednesday took a mass pledge to defend the Constitution by opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act at Delhi’s India Gate, PTI reported.

The number of both protestors and visitors at the area led to a massive crowd around the iconic monument and resulted in slow vehicular movement.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation closed entry and exit gates at five stations around India Gate for an hour. Authorities, however, maintained that it was done to ease passenger rush on New Year’s Day rather than to control the protest, NDTV reported.

The Delhi Traffic Police also advised commuters to take different route because of the protests.

A citizen’s group held a separate demonstration at the Constitution Club of India on Parliament Street.

Thousands of protestors stood together in the bitter cold at midnight on Tuesday and ushered in the New Year with the national anthem at South Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh neighbourhood. The locality has been a protest venue for those opposing the amended citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens since December 15.

Demonstrators were seen waving the national flag and carrying posters that read “No CAA” “No NRC” “No NPR” and “We stand united against CAA, NPR”. Many chanted slogans of “Azaadi [freedom]”. At 12 am on Wednesday, the crowd broke into cheers as protestors wished each other and then began the national anthem, followed by “Inquilab” slogans.

The Citizenship Amendment Act, approved by Parliament on December 11, provides citizenship to refugees from six minority religious communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, provided they have lived in India for six years and entered the country by December 31, 2014. The Act has been widely criticised for excluding Muslims.

Also read: Ringing in the new year with CAA protesters at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh