An umbrella alliance of various civil society organisations and volunteers have formed under the banner of “Alliance against CAA and NRC” to spearhead protests against the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) and the proposal to initiate a National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Calling the moves “unconstitutional”, the Alliance called upon people to observe Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on January 30 (Shaheed Diwas) and Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 as ‘Save Constitution Day’.
It has also decided to support the widespread public disapproval of the CAA alleging it violates the basic secular structure of the Constitution of India as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other United Nations Covenants and Declarations.
Accusing the government of having “diabolical motive” of resorting to faith-based discrimination as the propelling force behind the CAA, the Alliance has decided to appeal to state governments to challenge the CAA by invoking Article 131 of the Constitution.
The Alliance not only resolved to support the peaceful protests being currently organised all over India in around three dozen universities but has also decided to organise protests nationwide while expressing solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). It has sought a high-level judicial enquiry into the violence outside Jamia campus, besides separate enquiries to probe police excesses against students in AMU and Jamia that should be concluded within a month.
The Alliance demanded that all cases instituted against protestors and more particularly students be unconditionally withdrawn.