Holding the Union government accountable for the ongoing bloodshed in the name of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has alleged that the new Act is actually dividing the people of India and its soul in the name of religion.
Opening a protest meet organised by the District Congress Committee in Kozhikode on Saturday, Mr. Tharoor said it was time for the country to stay united and fight for citizens’ rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. He also observed that the new Act was dividing the soul of India like the Partition divided its soil.
“Those who assumed power highlighting development as their priority is now focusing on building a Hindu nation. They are trying to establish that the Constitution is wrong and all, except the Hindus, are dacoits,” said Mr. Tharoor. He alleged that the country which had already lost 11 persons during anti-CAA protests was moving to a state where no respect was given to the freedom of citizens and their lives.
Industrial crisis
“We are heading to a crisis in the industrial sector. Unemployment is at its peak now and many are losing their jobs. The government is still going ahead with its Hindu nation agenda,” he alleged.
The Congress leader also pointed out that the plight was not any different in the case of farmers as their suicide rate was now 45-a-day in the country.
Referring to the detention of journalists who were on the field to highlight the public protest against the Act in various parts of India, Mr. Tharoor said the incidents attested the fact that the Union government had no respect for freedom of speech and expression. He flayed the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for its advisory to satellite channels on guidelines to be followed while airing anti-CAA protests.
Coming down heavily on the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and ‘Dhan Ki Baat’ campaigns initiated by the Union government, Mr. Tharoor said it was time for them to listen to ‘Jan ki baat’ and citizens’ concerns on CAA. The government was well aware of the ongoing protests and there was no chance that the National Register of Citizens would be implemented, he said.
District Congress Committee president T. Siddique and senior Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee leaders were also present during the protest.
