Ask govt to scrap CAA: 12 oppn parties to Prez
Cong chief Sonia Gandhi says govt shutting down voices of people
NEWDELHI: A delegation of representatives from 12 opposition parties, led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, met President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday and urged him to ask the government to withdraw the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gandhi accused the government of “shutting down” the voices of the people and bringing legislations that are not acceptable to them.
The whole country is agitating against the CAA, she said, adding that the opposition was anguished over the police action against the protesters in the Northeast and in Delhi.
“The situation is very serious. We fear that it may spread even further.we are very anguished at the manner in which police dealt with peaceful protesters exercising their democratic rights,” she said.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear a bunch of petitions, including from some leaders of political parties, challenging the CAA.
Apart from Gandhi, the delegation comprised All India Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’brien, TR Baalu of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Ram Gopal Yadav and Javed Ali of the Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, D Raja of the Communist Party of India, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Manoj Jha, ET Mohammad Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League, National Conference’s
Hasnain Masoodi and Sirajuddin Ajmal of the All India United Democratic Front.
The two other signatories of the memorandum submitted to the President were Sharad Yadav of the Loktantrik Janata Dal and Shatrujeet Singh of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
Congress leaders AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal, Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh were also part of the delegation. The leaders first assembled at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House Complex and later proceeded to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Gandhi said the police personnel entered women’s hostels in Jamia Millia Islamia and “mercilessly” beat up students. “Delhi is an example where the police trespassed into the Jamia women’s hostel and dragged them out. They beat up students mercilessly. You have seen that the Modi government is shutting down people’s voices.”
The situation is very serious. We fear that it may spread further. We are very anguished at the manner in which police dealt with peaceful protesters exercising their democratic rights
SONIA GANDHI, Congress president