The ongoing agitations across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was not a battle between Muslims and the Centre but one etween the Constitution and the Union government, said former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram here on Saturday.
Addressing a protest meeting against the new law in Pudukottai, attended by a large number of Muslims and members of the Congress and other parties, Mr. Chidambaram said the BJP government had undermined the basic tenets of Constitution, which protects the secular ideals of the country, through the CAA.
The Centre had damaged the secular credentials of the country and people of all walks of life, irrespective of party affiliations, had been waging a battle against the Centre, he said demanding the repeal of the CAA.
‘Wrong policies’
The economy of the country had taken a severe hit because of wrong policies of the Centre. The economy was badly in need of rejuvenation. The Centre, which was supposed to take the needed steps to boost the economy, had done nothing to improve the economy. It had no clue on how to go about reviving the economy. Instead, it was concentrating on implementing divisive policies, he charged.
Mr. Chidambaram said the fight was not just against the Centre’s anti-people policies but also to protect the Constitution and its basic tenets. No room should be given to portray it as a fight between the Centre and the Muslims, he said.
Tiruchi Member of Parliament S. Thirunavukarasar and members of various Muslim jamats participated in the agitation. Members of Muslim jamats downed their shutters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pudukottai as a token of registering their protest against the CAA.
Similar protests against the CAA were held in various town in the Cauvery delta region on Saturday.
