The Congress will hold a ‘peace march’ here on Sunday to register its protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens, while sending across a message that the people of all communities in Rajasthan want to live in peace and harmony. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will lead the march.
The march will start from Albert Hall Museum at Ram Niwas Garden and culminate at the Mahatma Gandhi Circle near Rajasthan University, covering a distance of about three kilometres. Participants in a rally of civil rights groups to be organised at the nearby Moti Dungri Road are likely to join the march.
Mr. Gehlot told reporters on Saturday that the members of all communities, taking part in the march, would reject the attempts being made by the BJP to “polarise the society” for its electoral benefit. “The BJP’s top leaders are promoting hatred by making announcements for the NRC’s preparation like a threat... we will not allow them to succeed,” he said.
Mr. Gehlot said the CAA and the NRC did not deserve to be implemented in the country, as they would tear apart the social fabric and affect the entire population. “The failure of the NRC exercise in Assam has proved its futility. How can it be implemented all over the country?”
Demanding an immediate repeal of the CAA, Mr. Gehlot said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should announce that his government at the Centre would move ahead by taking all communities together. He also expressed concern over the continuing violence on the issue in the country.
He said several demonstrations were held in Rajasthan and the situation was peaceful, barring a few stray incidents in Bikaner and Jodhpur. He later visited Albert Hall and Mahatma Gandhi Circle to review the preparations for the march.
‘Provoking people’
State BJP president Satish Poonia alleged in a statement that Mr. Gehlot, who was responsible for maintaining law and order, was himself provoking the people. “Mr. Gehlot’s decision to hit the roads and lead a march against the CAA amounts to violation of constitutional norms. He is challenging an amendment of a law passed by the Parliament.”
