Mumbai Students to March Against CAA-NRC on Dec 27

As the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens intensifies across the country, Mumbai is set to witness a massive march of students and progressive, secular citizens against CAA-NRC on Friday December 27. The march has been called by the joint committee of students union along with several other organisations.

Suvarna of Samata Kala Manch, one of the coordinators of the march, told NewsClick, "It (the march) will start from Byculla and reach Azad Maidan. People across class, religions and ages are expected to participate in the march, but mainly it will be a students’ march. We are firmly against the new CAA and we will let BJP know through our unity and commitment."

The president of Progressive Students’ Association, which is also joining the march, Samya Korde, said, "Our members will participate in the march. There is large scale awareness about the anti-constitutional amendments. Students all over India are leading this agitation and in Mumbai too students have already taken the charge."

Maharashtra has been seeing a number of protests against CAA-NRC since mid-December. The first mega march took place in Mumbai on December 19 at August Kranti Maidan, where over 1 lakh protesters gathered to raise their voice against this amended act. Since then, there have been marches in almost all districts of the state.

On Sunday, December 22, thousands of people gathered in Akola on a call given by Tehaffuj-E-Kanun-E Shariyat. They demanded immediate ban on CAA.

The Socialist Party of India has also passed a resolution against CAA in a meeting. "Union government is trying to create rift between Hindus and Muslims of India. This is an attempt to change India's soul and all Indians shall stand against it," said senior activist Pannalal Surana during the meeting.

In Pune, thousands of youths hit the streets on Saturday to reject CAA-NRC. Different youth organisations including Youth for Democracy participated in the march, which concluded at Pune's Goodluck square. The square echoed with slogans against CAA.

The fourth state-level conference of Progressive Writers, which is going on in Amravati, Vidarbha, also taken note of the current situation and extended their solidarity to the opposition against CAA-NRC. Veteran author Dr Nagnath Kotapalle, who is chairing the conference, said in his address, "Union government is subverting democracy by undermining foundational values of Constitution. This will lead India into chaos and anarchy. All the followers of Constitution will oppose it."

Mumbai witnessed two marches at Dharavi and Chembur on Sunday. The march at Dharavai, which was under the banner, Hum Bharat Ke Log (We, the people of India), witnessed the participation of thousands of people. "This is a conspiracy to bring Hindu Rashtra here. We will oppose it. India won't allow RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) to break the country's ethos," said Sharad Shelake of Samvidhan Sanvardhan Samiti.

Poet Sambhaji Bhagat led the march at Thane, where youths formed majority of the protesters. Bhagat said that these policies are attempts to divert attention from economy. "These issues show the priorities of this government. The country’s economy or the people are not their priorities. There only aim is crony capitalism and to create division among people. We will have to unite to reject this plan," he said.