Prakash Ambedkar, president, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, urged the government to withdraw the National Population Register (NPR) process which is all set to begin on April 1.
“No government can fight the people,” he said at a protest rally against CAA-NRC-NPR in the city on Wednesday, organised by a coalition of Dalit organisations.
“The government is adamant that they are right and is refusing to listen to our concerns. They have erected a wall between themselves and the people, which is not the way in a democracy. The government is leaving us with no option but to resist this,” he said expressing concerns over the recent Delhi riots saying he feared the confrontation seems to be giving rise to the “spectre of a civil war”.
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“The government must talk to the people and accommodate their concerns, stop the process of NPR and withdraw CAA and that is the only right thing in a democracy,” Mr. Ambedkar said.
Thol. Thirumavalavan, president of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and a member of Parliament, said he visited the riot-affected areas of Delhi and expressed fears that CAA-NRC-NPR will create “a situation of continuous strife across the country”.
Terming “Sanatan forces” more dangerous than COVID-19, Mr. Thirumavalavan said religious nationalism will push the country into darkness especially it’s vulnerable communities. “Ambedkarite forces and Sanatan forces can never unite. CAA-NRC-NPR is a threat to all natives of this land,” he said.
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“Babasaheb Ambedkar ended the reign of ‘Manuvada’ through the Constitution, but BJP and it’s mentor RSS are trying to bring it back and CAA and NRC are key to this exercise. Once our citizenship is taken away, we will have no say in the government. If they are successful we will be back to days of slavery,” said Mr. Ambedkar calling for a campaign to save the Constitution to save themselves.