TCN News
A one day symbolic protest and fast was organised at Shantibagh, Gaya, Bihar, on the completion of one year of the start of the historic protest against CAA. The protest that started on 29 December, 2019 against CAA continued in Shantibagh, Gaya for 84 days before it was suspended on account of humanitarian crisis created by the coronavirus.
Tuesday’s protest was held in order to remind the government that the CAA has still not been repealed. People took a pledge that if the government moves ahead with its plan for executing NRC and NPR or proceeds with implementation of CAA the fight would resume from Shantibagh.
In light of the ongoing farmers protest people kept a one day fast and extended support to the protesting farmers.
The program was organised under the banner of Samvidhan Bachao Morcha under the aegis of which the CAA protest started last year. Omair Khan alias Tikka Khan is the convenor of Samvidhan Bachao Morcha.
On this occasion a memorandum in the name of Prime Minister was handed over to the District Magistrate. The demands made from the government are in the Memoradum, which is published below:
Memorandum to the Honorable Prime Minister of India
Shri Narendra Modi
Honorable Prime Minister
India
Through : District Magistrate, Gaya
Date: 29 December, 2020
Subject: Demand for repeal of the three farm laws and CAA, and withdrawal of plan for NRC and NPR.
Respected Sir,
Braving the freezing winter night and bone chilling cold the farmers from across the country have assembled at Delhi border and for the past 34 days have been protesting against the three farm laws that have been passed in the parliament with undue haste without taking them into confidence. We all know that dozens of farmers have sacrificed their lives in the ongoing protest. The farm laws in their present form disproportionately benefit the corporate entities and in the process will push the farmers to destitution thereby breaking the back of the farm sector. Here we would also like to bring to your notice that this push towards opening up of farm sector to free trade is a direct attack on the socialist principle of our country and hence is an attack on our constitution.
This is also to bring to your attention that the highly communal Citizenship Amendment Act has yet not been repealed. Please note that the passage of CAA is an attack on the secular principles of our country and hence is also an attack on our constitution. We were part of the countrywide protest against CAA, NRC and NPR of which Shantibagh was one of the pioneers. We had withdrawn our protest as responsible citizens at the onset of pandemic to avoid any health hazard. However, we want to specify that it was just an interval and we resolve to resume our protest after the pandemic subsides, if the government does not repeal the Citizenship Act and permanently brings down the curtains on the planned NRC and NPR exercise.
In light of our above grievances we would like to make the following demands from the government of India.
1. Repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in the budget session planned in January 2021.
2. Immediately convene a special session of the parliament and repeal the following three farm laws
a. Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020.
b. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
c. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
3. Withdraw plans for carrying our NRC and NPR and make official announcement of the same.