02, Mar 2020

Mangaluru: Systematic protests in an organised manner, signature campaigns and meeting elected representatives with delegates will stop the Union government from implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR), opined rights activists Teesta Setalvad.
Teesta was delivering a talk on CAA/NRC and NPR jointly organised by We The People and Citizens Forum for Mangaluru Development on Sunday.

She said that the proposed Acts not only target the Muslim community, but also adivasis, dalits, migrant labourers, nomadic tribes among others. “If the ongoing protests are not done in a right manner, they won’t bring about any good result,” she pointed out.

“With the move of implementing CAA, the government has shown how it is indulging in divide and rule. People have come out on the streets protesting the hidden agenda of the BJP government. Such fights against this unconstitutional move of the government should be always alive.”

Teesta questioned the NPR exercise and said place and date of birth of one’s parents was not asked when it was done under the UPA government but the same being is asked by the current government. “We are not opposing the census as it is needed to count the total population of the country and to provide government facilities. But, while UPA government had done NPR exercise, the place and date of birth of one’s parents were not asked. Why is it being asked now?” she questioned. Of the total of population of India, only about 52% would have birth certificates and the rest would not have such documents. “If so, how the government will give citizenship on the basis of birth certificates? It is a challenge to the people of our country,” she said.

In Assam, which has a population of 3.2 crore, has spent Rs 1,220 crore for implementing NRC. It will cost Rs 55,000 crore to implement it in all states. “Instead of addressing unemployment and others issues of the country, why the government is spending such huge sum for unnecessary work?” she questioned, stressing that it will be a big blow to the economy of the country.

The original report may be read here.