Today the city of Mumbai saw a major Anti-CAA protest and the National Register of Citizens(NRC). A large number of protestors had gathered together at the Azad Maidan located in the southern part of the city.
A great number of interesting posters could be seen in the hands of the protestors carrying interesting and creative slogans against India’s new citizenship act. The Mumbai protest saw the participation of hundreds of students, activists and other concerned citizens. What was interesting to note was the fact that while so many people were shouting slogans and taking part in the Anti-CAA and Anti-NRC protests at Azad Maidan, not very far away at the August Kranti Maidan, hundreds of people also turned up in support of the law that makes one’s religion the criteria for a chance at citizenship.
Many protestors speaking up against the CAA said that this could be the government’s first move towards the implementation of a nationwide NRC and said that they would continue to protests unless the act was taken back by the government. Many actors and celebrities also took part in the protests that took place against the CAA at the Azad Maidan. The Pro-Citizenship Act at the August Kranti Maidan was being led by BJP leader and former Maharashtra Cm Devendra Fadnavis. The stage was seen carrying a massive Tricolour and a poster of Veer Savarkar. Ranjit Savarkar, grandson of Veer Savarkar was also present at the Pro-Pro-Citizenship Act rally. It was just in last week that an Anti-CAA rally drew thousands of people at the August Kranti Maidan.
Apart from Mumbai, Anti-CAA protests also took place in Delhi and Kolkata today and saw a large number of people taking part. While the government argues that the new citizenship law will help persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan get citizenship in India, critics argue that it is a law intended to discriminate against the Muslims of India and is a violation of India’s secular credentials. Recently the government announced its intentions of introducing a nationwide NRP which seeks to identify illegal migrants. Protestors are looking at the NPR as a precursor to the NRC and are thus critiquing it.
