Hundreds of members of the Muslim community from different parts of Odisha staged a peaceful protest here on Tuesday demanding that the amended Citizenship Act and the National Register of Citizens not be implemented in the State.
Holding placards and raising slogans, they marched from Satyanagar to Sishu Bhavan Chowk where they were stopped by the police from marching towards the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. People from other communities also joined them.
They submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the State Home Secretary in which they urged Mr. Patnaik not to allow implementation of the CAA and the NRC in Odisha.
Stating that they had come to know from the media about Mr. Patnaik’s assurance not to implement NRC in Odisha, Jamiat-Ulama-i-Odisha general secretary Syed Naquib-ul-Ameen Barqi said the Chief Minister should clear his government’s stand before the media.
Stating that all people who respect the Constitution should condemn the CAA, he urged the Chief Minister to support their stand. “We will continue our peaceful protest against the CAA till the Chief Minister clarifies his stand.”
‘No need for panic’
A delegation of Muslims from Bhadrak district which met the Chief Minister on December 13 had claimed that Mr. Patnaik had assured them that there was no need to panic over the CAA or the the NRC.
The members of the Muslim community are apprehensive because the BJD headed by Mr. Patnaik had supported the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in both Houses of Parliament.
