CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has said that the CAA/NRC is not merely an anti-Muslim law as being projected, but ‘anti-national’ in nature.
Extending support to the ongoing agitation in Tirupati by the Democratic Secular Protection Front, a conglomerate of Left parties, Muslim and Dalit outfits, in front of the Sub-Collector’s office here on Sunday, he said the agitation was being deliberately escalated to the level of Hindu-Muslim clash, while it actually dealt with misuse of the Constitution.
He said the agitators were against the manner in which citizenship was being linked to one’s faith, which he said was against the spirit of the Constitution. Speaking in Telugu on CAA, Mr. Yechury explained that if the process of according citizenship to all but Muslims was allowed today, the government could wield a similar weapon in future that could lead to marginalisation of Dalits and tribals, which precisely was the concern of Left parties. “Every religion has a holy book, but the Constitution is the holiest book for every Indian. Any form of sacrilege to it will not be allowed,” he vowed.
Taking exception to the government’s reply that the CAA was irreversible as the Bill had been passed in both the houses of Parliament, Mr. Yechury said even the draconian emergency was invoked after being passed in Parliament. “Even if we are branded as ‘anti-national’, we will continue the fight till Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdraws the black law,” he remarked.
‘Stop NPR to stop NRC’
While hailing the Kerala government for passing a resolution in the Assembly not to implement NRC and NPR, which was duly followed by several other States, Mr. Yechury demanded that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy adopt a similar resolution to prove his sincerity, instead of merely writing to the Centre. He said the NPR should be stopped first so as to bring the NRC to a halt. He not only demanded the delinking of NPR from the census process, but also the continuation of the system followed in 2010, with no additional questions posed to citizens.
The meeting started with chanting of verses from the Quran. CPI(M) State secretary P. Madhu, CITU district secretary K. Murali, CPI State secretariat member P. Harinatha Reddy, district secretary A. Rama Naidu, Republican Party of India president P. Anjaiah, Muslim leaders Shafi Ahmed Qadari (YSRCP) and K.S. Murtuza (TDP) took part.
