Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Mumbai/Kolkata
Both pro-and-anti citizenship law protesters held competing rallies in Mumbai on Friday, as the debate over the implications of the contentious Bill gets heated,
At Azad Maidan, protesters shouted slogans against the government with one of the protesters alleging that the act was aimed “not against just one community but against the whole country.”
Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar was part of the anti-CAA rally.
At August Kranti Maidan rally, a pro-CAA rally organised by BJP’s Sanvidan Sanman Manch’ saw supporters carry national flags along with placards with pro-CAA and NRC messages. They were also carrying photographs of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar while pictures of VD Savarkar, Mahatama Jyotiba Phule, Bharatmata and Shahu Maharaj were displayed on stage.
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Fadnavis said the new law does not take away the citizenship of any Indian.“Pakistan did not fulfill the (implicit) assurance during Partition that minorities will be protected (in both the countries). Hence, India has to look after them because they are our people,” said the former chief minister.
The joint rally in Kolkata was led by West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra and senior Left Front leaders.
Carrying posters and placards against the BJP-led Union government, Congress and LF members shouted slogans against bringing in the ‘divisive’ CAA.
The issue of CAA has been a major flashpoint in Bengal politics with Chief Minister Banerjee declaring that it will not be implemented in the state.
The state has witnessed violent protests and arson earlier this month.In Ajmer, a large number of Muslims, including khadims of the famous Ajmer dargah, took out a protest march against the amended act, demanding its rollback.
The march started from the dargah and concluded at the collectorate, after passing through the crowded dargah bazaar.
“The Centre should repeal the act, which is an attack on the Preamble of the Constitution. The government should also say that the NRC will not be implemented (countrywide),” Sarwar Chisty, a khadim of the dargah, said.
