Members of Samajwadi Vichar Yatra, involved in creating awareness against CAA, NPR and NRC, entered Berhampur in Odisha on Saturday after travelling through 11 States.
The yatra started from New Delhi on January 30 and will culminate in Hyderabad on March 23. It has been taken up by an organisation named ‘Samajwadi Samagam’. Several other organisations such as Rashtra Seva Dal, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, National Coordination of Public Movements (NAPM), Hum Bharat Ke Log, Yusuf Meher Ali Centre, People’s Association in Grassroots Action and Movement Federation are supporters of this yatra.
The members of the yatra were welcomed in Berhampur by human rights activists including president of Jan Jagran Abhiyan, Madhusudan Sethi, and social activist Rabi Rath. The yatra is being led by the general secretary of Samajwadi Samagam, Arun Srivastava, who is also the convener of this campaign, and the co-convener, Dr. Sunilam.
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Plea for resolution
Mr. Srivastava and Dr. Sunilam appealed the Naveen Patnaik government to pass a resolution in the State Assembly against CAA, NRC and NPR. According to them, 14 States have already passed similar resolutions and Odisha should follow this trend to protect the basic rights of its citizens.
They demanded that the huge amount of money that is to be used for implementation of “anti-people” CAA, NPR and NRC in the country should be used to enhance employment guarantee for the poor.
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They alleged that through demonetisation, GST, repeal of Article 370, CAA, NPR and NRC, the BJP government at the Centre has destroyed the economy of the country. “We feel a large number of citizens of our country will not participate in the coming census because of NPR and NRC and there is no law in our country to take action against them for not divulging personal and private information,” said Dr. Sunilam.
They were also critical of the massive restrictions being put in place over COVID-19 threat. “In stead of creating coronavirus panic, the Union government should try to end the communal hatred virus,” said Mr. Srivastava.
As part of the yatra, they are also creating awareness against rising unemployment and displacement. They also demanded the release of all the political prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir for start of democratic process for election as early as possible.
From Berhampur, this yatra will go to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Angul and Sambalpur before entering West Bengal.