While the BJP-led government at the Centre has attempted to divide people on religious lines with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the legislation has rather united people of all faiths in the country against it, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M.H. Jawahirullah has said.
Addressing a massive anti-CAA rally organised by Jamaats and Muslim organisations here on Tuesday, he said Hindus had shown solidarity with Muslims on the issue.
In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that protesters could be identified with their clothes, a few Hindus came in burkas and asked the government to identify them.
Noting that Jamia Millia Islamia was at the centre of the anti-CAA protests, Mr. Jawahirullah said the university was founded by freedom fighters. “A Hindu student, while speaking against the CAA, said he wanted secular India back. That used to be the spirit of the freedom movement in the country,” he added.
Referring to the demonetisation exercise during the first term of the Modi government, he said, “The first [Modi] government made currency notes in denominations of ₹1,000 and ₹500 invalid. The second government has made Indian citizenship invalid.”
Taking a dig at the State government over its stand on the National Population Register (NPR), he said it was the first step towards implementing the National Register of Citizens and the CAA. He urged people not to give any documents for the NPR.
Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan said the Prime Minister was lying when he said that the Cabinet had never discussed the implementation of the NRC. “Union Ministers have given replies in writing about its implementation in Parliament,” he said.
When MPs of Tamil Nadu spoke against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, the Modi government did not listen to their remarks that it was against the democratic fabric of the country. But now, when the entire country was in turmoil, the Union Home Ministry was seeking people’s opinion on its implementation, he said.
“But now, no patriot is ready to compromise with the anti-nationals. We will continue the fight till the anti-nationals are chased away,” he added. He wondered why the Tamil Nadu police had not booked BJP leader H. Raja for saying that if students threw stones from inside their colleges, bombs would be hurled back at them.
Leaders from the DMK, the Congress, the MDMK, the VCK, the May 17 Movement and various Muslim organisations took part in the protest, which drew thousands of people carrying the national flag and placards reading “Say No to CAA/NRC”.
