Citizenship law: Protests continue in Mumbai, satellite cities
Holding placards with messages such as, “In my own land, you can’t declare me a foreigner” and “Let’s stop second partition together”, people sang the National Anthem at the two-hour-long protest that continued till 4 pm.
People demonstrate in Bhiwandi. (Express photo: Deepak Joshi)
Protests continued in different parts of the city on Friday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, a day after a massive demonstration was held at August Kranti Maidan in south Mumbai. Around 2,000 people, including children, gathered at LBS Marg in Kurla to voice concerns against the new law.
Holding placards with messages such as, “In my own land, you can’t declare me a foreigner” and “Let’s stop second partition together”, people sang the National Anthem at the two-hour-long protest that continued till 4 pm.
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A protester, Rahim Chaudhary, said, “Way back in time, my great grandparents had come and settled in India. After years of struggle in this country, today if somebody comes and tells me to leave the country then I am not going to do that. I have nobody outside India, why should I leave?”
A resident of Saki Naka area, Chaudhary said, “Since the day CAA was implemented, I wanted to raise my voice against the government. Yesterday, I couldn’t make it to the protest at August Kranti ground. So, I made sure that I was free today to participate in the protest at Kurla.”
Shahid Anwar, who had joined the protest with his three-year-old son, said, “I don’t care in how people in power are making money, but don’t take our rights away from us. If tomorrow, they ask us to leave, where will I go with my son.”
Several people also gathered at Laljipada area in Kandivali around 2.30 pm to voice concerns against the new law. Mohamed Yusuf, who attend the protest, said, “This Act is against the Constitution that is why people have come out on the streets and have been protesting against it… (Home Minister) Amit Shah, in his speech in the parliament, spoke about every religion, but removed Muslims out of the Act. If tomorrow, they (government) declare that even Muslims are included in the Act, then people will go back home and there will be no more protests.”
Highlighting the state of economic slowdown in the counter, another protester said, “Why are they not focusing on our economy, and instead giving importance to things like NRC and CAA. If we get refugees from other countries, where will they keep them? How are planning to provide employment to them.”
On Sunday afternoon, a protest march has been organised from 90 Feet Road to Dharavi, which is likely to see participation of a large number of slum dwellers. A huge area in Dharavi is populated by Muslims, who are opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Another major protest has also been planned for December 27 from Byculla to CSTM,sources said.
Protests were also held in parts of the satellite cities. In Palghar, around 2,500 people gathered outside the tehsildar’s office in Vasai to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Demonstrations were also held in Thane city, while a day-long bandh was observed in Bhiwandi.
“This government has always been against the downtrodden. Now, when we are all supposed to fight inflation and job loss together, the government is busy dividing us based on religion,” Bhiwandi-resident Sajid Shaikh said. Schools, colleges and shops were closed in the area after a the protest march was called Thursday. “We had decided to walk peacefully from one masjid to another after the afternoon prayers,” Shaikh said.
In Palghar, Sarva Dharma Sanmaniya Samiti gave a call for a bandh during a protest outside the tehsildar’s office in Vasai. Agitators also handed over a letter, addressed to the President of India, to Vasai tehsildar. “We have come out to spread the message of love and not hate. We are all Indians by blood and not by any document,” Avinash Vinherkar, a resident of Palghar who attended the protest, said.
On Thursday, 20,000 people had gathered at the August Kranti Maidan, the cradle of Quit India Movement in Mumbai, to oppose the citizenship law and NRC.
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