Several members of over a dozen outfits — including farmers, labourers and students — on Monday staged a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) in Punjab’s Ludhiana.
‘Slogans against Centre’
At a gathering in the local grain market, the participants raised slogans against the BJP-led government at the Centre and demanded repealing of the CAA.
The leaders of different outfits demanded that all forms of attacks against the people protesting against violations of civil rights be stopped, their security be guaranteed, false cases against democratic protesters be cancelled, arrested people and intellectuals be released and strict action be taken against officers involved in attacks in JNU and Jamia Millia University. They also condemned the recent communal violence in Delhi.
Those who addressed the gathering included Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the president of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan); Manjeet Singh Dhaner, senior vice president of BKU (Ekta-Dakaunda); Rajwinder, president of Textile-Hosiery Workers’ Union; Maulana Md. Usman Ludhianavi, leader of Majlis Ahrar Islam Hind Jama Masjid among others.
‘Clear stand on NPR’
The leaders in a joint statement also demanded the Punjab government to clear its stand on NPR in writing, even as they cautioned the government against attempting to implement it.
The leaders called for a widespread and strong people’s movement to fight against the ‘attacks’ on civil rights by the ruling BJP government at the Centre.
