Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Jan 25: A torchlight march and protest meeting was organized by Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti in the city on Friday January 24 against the central government's CAA,
NRC and NPR laws.

Speaking at the protest meet, Yaseen Malpe, president Muslim okkuta said, "In the last five to six years no one has dared to raise their voice against the central government, but the government's decision to implement CAA, NRC and NPR has raised the spark to protest. They do not know how to rule the nation, rather they divide it. We have decreased by ten points in the democracy index, our industries are suffering. The government must work for the betterment of the people, but they are saying 'Ghus Ghus ke Marenge' to their citizens. If you divide us on the principles of Govalkar and Savarkar, we will unite under the principles of the Constitution. This agitation will continue till the government withdraws CAA and NRC."

G Rajshekar, a thinker addressing the protestors said, "For the first time after the adoption of the Constitution, all the citizens of the country came under one roof. Under these laws, all people except Muslims from our neighbouring countries Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh will be given Indian citizenship. However, this law outlines the diversity within the Muslim community. Within the community, there are many diversities. Rohingya Muslims who are residing currently in India were the persecuted minorities in the Muslim state."

Shashidhar Hemmady, a journalist said, "No one has ever has come out and said that he was a classmate of the PM. His fake degree certificate was printed on a Sunday. Today, they are asking us for documents. In Kodagu on account of NRC, coffee estate workers are asked to show their identity proofs at the nearby police station. We are in a state where we are asked to prove that we are Indians. Before doing this, let the government resign as it has no right to rule over us without knowing whether we are Indians or not. Let this agitation continue to every corner."

Prof Phaniraj addressing the protestors said, "Today in Delhi, the central government has imposed National Security Act. Under this law, anyone can be arrested without revealing the exact reason for the arrest and soon elections will be conducted for the state which is under NSA. These people are poisoning the truth. Amith Shah says that Gandhiji, Ambedkar also supported CAA. I want to ask him when they supported his CAA. The last fast of Gandhiji held in 1947 was against the brutal act which made Muslims of Delhi homeless and they were said to go to Pakistan. Gandhiji fasted for this cause and said that fasting will continue until the Muslims are brought back and given shelter. CAA only has a majority, but not the consent from the Parliament. In 1955, Ambedkar introduced the Hindu Court Bill for which the RSS staged a nationwide protest. Ambedkar resigned from his post after these protests. Our demand should be the removal of Part B in the NPR form."

Amruth Shenoy, Fr William Martis, Ramesh Kanchan and others were present during the protest.