Sitaram Yechury demands withdrawal of CAA, NPR in Kurnool

Kurnool: CPI (M)general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday demanded that the Centre immediately announce the withdrawal of National Register of Citizens(NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) process. The NPR was the first step to implementation of NRC, he said.

Yechuri was speaking at a public meeting organised at Osmania College grounds here. Earlier a massive rally was taken out to protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Hitting hard at the divisive politics played by the Modi-Shah duo, Yechury said Chief Ministers of 10 States had already expressed their opposition o the NRC. More State are likely to follow.

Condemning the brutalities perpetrated on peaceful protesters, he said it is anathema to democracy. He appealed to the people to peacefully protest against CAA and NPR." Protest was a fundamental right of the people, but they were being prohibited from doing so.

He said religion can never be a basis for citizenship in the country and efforts made by BJP government were striking at the very foundation of India as a nation.

Congress leader N Tulasi Reddy said the groundswell of opposition against NPR and NRC and CAA were spontaneous and the methods adopted by the BJP government to suppressprotest was reprehensible. CPI State Secretary K Ramakrishna and CPI (M) leader Gaffooralso spoke.