MUMBAI: The country’s commercial capital on Friday witnessed two contrasting rallies – one in favor of, and the other against the contentiousCAA. According to police estimates, while the pro-CAA rally outside August Kranti Maidan drew a crowd of 6, 10 people, the demonstration against the law, just 5 km away at Azad Maidan, saw a gathering of 303, (***************************, including some celebrities.
Leading the BJP-backed rally in support of CAA,Maharashtra‘s ex-CMDevendra Fadnavistrained his guns on his former ally, saying: “Shiv Sena, which till recently was against Bangladeshi infiltration, has suddenly gone quiet because of its love for the chair and power.”
Invoking Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s famous statement “Has the government lost its head”, the ex-CM said no one could stop them from supporting CAA. A bigger rally was held at Azad Maidan against the new law.
The agitation, called by Joint Action Committee for Social Justice, saw participation from student representatives from Delhi and UP. While most rallied for revocation of what they termed “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory” laws, speakers also emphasized the need to preserve the country’s secular fabric.
The ‘Inquilab Morcha’, as the anti-CAA rally was called, was a joint initiative of participants, students and social outfits in the city. Ex-JNU student Umar Khalid, the star attraction at the protest, said BJP had 823 members supporting CAA in Parliament, and they believe that on that basis, they could break the Constitution.
The government may say that the National Population Register (NPR) was proposed by the UPA regime, said Khalid, but the NPR proposed by UPA and the one that has now been brought in are different. Some people skipped office or took a half-day leave to join the protest. Despite the vacation season, many students turned up.
Some from IIT-Bombay performed a skit. Others from TISS and Mumbai University also turned up. Comedian Varun Grover told the rally, “NRC is not a Muslim issue like everyone is making it out to be. It is an issue for every Indian. ”Actors Swara Bhasker, Richa Chadha and Jim Sarbh and singer Anushka Manchanda were among those at the rally.
“This is an unconstitutional Act, we have the right to protest peacefully. We don’t need this disruptive, expensive exercise right now. We need to prioritize on climate change, education, economy, not hate, ”Chadha said. Bombay HC ex-judge B G Kolse Patil also spoke.
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