Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Hyderabad
The southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh that have substantial Muslim population are set to witness more protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) after a meeting of the various organisations held here on Tuesday.
They said the issue needed to be agitated to prevent any “misadventure” against the Muslims by the Union government.
The United Muslim Action Committee (UMAC), comprising All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Jamaat-e-Islami, held a meeting that was attended by other Muslim leaders where they decided to organise rallies, protest marches and dharnas during the entire month.
Telangana has a 14 per cent Muslim population, while in Andhra Pradesh the population of Muslims is over 10 per cent.
In Hyderabad and its neighbourhood, the population of Muslims is around 44 per cent.
Jamaat-e-Islami Telangana unit chief Hamid Mohammed Khan accompanied by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi announced the stepping up of the agitation.
Various towns in Telangana with substantial Muslim population have already been witnessing agitations during the past few days.
A mass rally has been announced for January 10, seeking the revocation of CAA, a halt to NPR and dropping proposed NRC.
On January 10, which happens to be a Friday a “Tiranga rally” (Tricolour) has been announced where men and women will begin their march from Mir Alam Eidgah after Friday prayers and end it at Shastripuram grounds.
Earlier this week, Hyderabad had been paralysed by a huge rally that culminated at the historic Hussain Sagar Lake.
The Muslim leaders have announced the formation of a new organisation that will coordinate between various leaders and Muslim representatives to further the demand for scrapping of the CAA and proposed NRC.
This alliance will be headed by retired Andhra Pradesh High Court Judge Justice B. Chandra Kumar and will include Muslim, Dalit, tribal and backward classes groups.
On the eve of Republic Day, these groups propose to gather at the Charminar and hold a ‘Mushaira’.
At the stroke of midnight, the national flag will be hoisted to mark the Republic Day and pledge loyalty to the nation.
On the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, a human chain will be formed from Bapu Ghat to Mohammedi Lines oil mill.
“These are not programmes of one party or people of one religion. This is to save the Constitution, the soul of the country, to pay homage to founding fathers and to ensure that their legacy is not destroyed,” Owaisi said.
