The Joint Action Committee of all political parties, the United Muslim Action Committee (UMAC), Muslim organisations and student unions affiliated to Left parties and the ruling TRS, on Thursday demanded that the Centre withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Act-2019 and the implementation of the proposed National Population Register (NPR), describing them as anti-Constitution and anti-democratic.
At a joint press conference here, UMAC chairman Mohammed Raheem Ansari described the NPR as a first step towards implementation of the NRC despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking to dispel the doubts over it. He said the CAA and the NPR or NRC were serious issues related to all people living in the country. “Thus, it is a national issue, not the issue of only the Muslims,” he said.
Calling upon people to oppose tooth and nail the BJP-led NDA government’s move to implement the Act and the NPR, he said to show the solidarity of all people against them, a huge public meeting would be organised here on Friday evening. Member of Parliament and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, Telangana Minister for Roads and Buildings V. Prashanth Reddy and leaders of Left parties would, among others, address the meeting, he said.
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CPI (ML)-New Democracy district president K. Yadagiri said the CAA was atrocious and meant for dividing people on religious lines. He said the Act was brought about against a particular religion so that it was legally void. Except the BJP, all political parties and people at large were opposing the Act all over the country, he said Mr Modi and Mr Shah had said one thing and done another.
MRPS leader Posani accused the BJP of provoking communalism, saying the CAA was detrimental to unity and integrity of the country. A. Ramesh Babu and K. Bhoomaiah district presidents of CPI (M) and CPI respectively, Ramesh (BSP), Moulana Waliulla Khasmi of Jamaat Ul Ulama, Muneeruddin Mukhtar and leaders of Jai Bheem Army felt that the CAA and NPR were against the secular fabric of the nation.