‘Non-violent agitation needed against CAA’

Ramanath Rai says people will fight to retain the secular nature of India

Members of various organisations taking part in a protest in Mangaluru on Thursday.

There is a need for a non-violent agitation, similar to the freedom struggle, against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), said former District Congress Committee president and former Minister B. Ramanath Rai here on Thursday.

Speaking at a protest organised by the Congress and other organisations under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Jatyateeta Paksha Sanghatanegala Janti Vedike here, Mr. Rai said that Mahatma Gandhi took the lead in the non-violent freedom struggle.

In the fight against CAA and NRC, the people will take the lead and fight to retain the secular nature of India.

While the State government blamed the Opposition for the violent protest on December 19 that led to police firing in the city, Mr. Rai said the government should take the blame for aggravating the situation by imposing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Mangaluru and other parts of the State that angered the protesters.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai should take the blame for the damage caused because of police firing in the city on December 19.

Muneer Katipalla, State president, Democratic Youth Federation of India, said a judicial inquiry alone will bring out the truth behind the violent protest and police action. Mr. Katipalla said it was necessary for the State government to pay compensation to the family members of the two deceased and those injured in the police firing. The real perpetrators of the violent protest should be arrested and not the innocent ones, he said.

District Congress Committee President K. Harish Kumar, MLC Ivan D’Souza, CPI (M) District Secretary Vasant Achari, Communist Party of India District Secretary V. Kukkyan, District President of Janata Dal (Secular) Mohammed Kunhi and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee State Secretary P.V.Mohan also spoke.

The protest started around noon and went on till 4 p.m. It was held on the Town Hall premises.