Call given for nationwide protests against CAB on Dec 19

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

Around 60 organisations have given a collective nationwide call for observing December 19 as the day to reject the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The contentious legislation was passed this week by the Parliament.

Uniting under a common banner, “Ham Bharat Ke Log: National Action Against Citizenship Amendment” the organisations are planning to hold “more than 100 events across the country on martyrdom of Ashfaqulla Khan and Ramprasad Bismil”.

Recalling their “saajhi virasat” (shared heritage) and “saajhi shahadat” (shared tradition of martyrdom), citizens will demand “saajhi nagrikta” (undivided citizenship) and take a pledge for non-cooperation with any registration (NRC or NPR) based on this discriminatory and divisive citizenship, said a statement by NAACA.

More than 100 events planned on martyrdom day of Ashfaqulla Khan and Ramprasad Bismil under the banner 'Ham Bharat Ke Log: National Action Against Citizenship Amendment'

The organisations include United Against Hate, Karwan-e-Mohabbat, Citizens for Peace and Justice, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), Joint Forum Against NRC (WB), National Alliance for Peoples Movements (NAPM), Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Gandhi Peace Foundation, Rashtra Seva Dal, Sarv Seva Sangh, All India Progressive Women’s Association and Swaraj Abhiyan.

The “discriminatory and divisive Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 is an assault on our constitution and the inclusive, composite vision of India that guided our freedom struggle.

“The Republic of India is founded on the negation of the two-nation theory that viewed citizenship through the prism of religion. The recent Amendment to the Citizenship Act brings back the two-nation theory by introducing a distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims for purposes of granting exemption for citizenship by naturalisation.

The proposal to extend National Register of Citizenship (NRC) to the entire country would institutionalise this divisive citizenship further,” as per the statement.

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