Dozens of CPI(M) activists on Thursday staged a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) here, shouting slogans for immediate revocation of the "discriminatory and undemocratic law".
Senior CPI(M) leader and four-time legislator from south Kashmir's Kulgam, M Y Tarigami, who was supposed to join the protest, was prevented by police and virtually put under house arrest at his residence in Jammu, Regional Secretary of CPI(M) Sham Parsad Kesar said.
Carrying a banner which read "we reject Citizenship (Amendment) Act which is outrightly undemocratic, unconstitutional and blot on the secular fabric of the country", the protesters assembled at Exhibition Ground in the city and raised slogans against the BJP-led central government before dispersing off peacefully.
"We have gathered here to lodge a protest against the black law on a day when three of our heroes -- Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh -- sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country. We will not allow anyone to play with the secular fabric of the country," Kesar told reporters.
He demanded an end to the alleged atrocities on the students protesting this "undemocratic, unconstitutional and anti-people" act and said the whole country is united in its demand for the revocation of the act.
He also demanded lifting of curbs on the movement of Tarigami and said the CPI(M) would continue our fight for the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
State secretary of CPI(M) G N Malik condemned the BJP government for getting the "discriminatory citizenship bill hurriedly passed by Parliament and converting it as an Act after immediate presidential assent."
"This is the blackest act in the country's legislative history. The act is an attack on the secular, democratic and equality based inclusive foundation of the Constitution of India and an assault on humanity perpetrated by the communal forces guided by fascistic ideology to change the basic character of India's constitution toward Hindu Rashtra," Malik said.
He called for a united struggle to defeat the BJP government's machinations to "divide the people and suppress their movement against economic and social exploitation and repression".
Opposing the amended citizenship act, general secretary of Jammu and Kashmir unit of CITU alleged that "this act links citizenship with the religious affiliation of an individual and aims to further sharpen the communal divide in the country which is dangerously detrimental to the unity and integrity of our country.
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