Demanding the scrapping of Citizenship (Amendment) Act,, a massive rally was taken out in the city on Saturday under the aegis of Shivamogga District Congress Committee (SDCC).
Addressing the protest meet on the premises of Deputy Commissioner's office, Kagodu Thimmappa, former Minister, alleged that the CAA proposes to accord citizenship on the basis of religion and was discriminatory by nature.
He said the CAA was a ‘ploy’ by the BJP-led government at the Centre to divert the attention of common people from its failure to address problems such as unemployment and economic slowdown. Expressing displeasure over the Centre being engaged in “negative politics,” he said that though Karnataka and other States suffered huge loss owing to flood and heavy rain, the Centre was trying to create rift in the society in the name of CAA instead of taking measures to compensate the affected families, .
H.S. Sundaresh, president of SDCC, flayed the alleged intimidating tactics adopted by the Central and State governments to suppress protests against CAA. Protests and voice of dissent form the essence of democracy but unfortunately the Central and States governments have turned insensitive and intolerant towards them, he said.
The protesters raised slogans demanding the Centre to immediately withdraw the CAA. They also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Karnataka though the office of Deputy Commissioner.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at sensitive places in the city to avoid untoward incidents.
