Telangana parties in disarray over CAA protests; Congress stays away

Despite being on the same page as far as opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is concerned, the political parties in Telangana are going separate ways and charting their own course in organising protest rallies.

The main opposition Congress decided not to join the protest rally called by the Left parties on Thursday (December 19).

Along with the CPI, CPI (M) and Telangana Jana Samithi, several smaller parties and social organisations including New Democracy, Jamaat e Islami, BC Welfare Association and Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) have joined the protests.

The Congress and All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has been vociferous in opposing the new citizenship law, said they would chalk out their plan of action independently.

Interestingly, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) which had opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill and voted against it in the Parliament, has imposed restrictions on the protests.

Section 144 has been imposed in parts of Hyderabad and no permission has been given for protest marches in the city.

“Why do you insist that we should go and join the rally being organised by somebody else? We have our own way of voicing our protest against the CAA and NRC,” said the state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The CPI, on the other hand, appealed to all the left and democratic forces to join the fight against the new citizenship law that militates against the fundamental structure of the Constitution.

“We appeal to the Chief Minister (K Chandrasekhar Rao) to join us in the protests. In fact, he should have led the protest rally from the front, like his West Bengal and Kerala counterparts,” the state CPI secretary Ch Venkat Reddy said.

On its part, the AIMIM, headed by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, will take out a separate protest rally on December 21.

Not in states’ domain

The issue of citizenship falls in the domain of the Centre and the States have no role to play in it, argues senior TRS leader B Vinod Kumar.

“No doubt, we are strongly opposed to the CAA and NRC. But, how can we say we will not allow it in our State? This is the Centre’s subject. There is nothing that the States can do about it,” said Kumar who is the vice-chairman of the state planning board.

Another TRS leader and Rajya Sabha member K Kesava Rao also echoed similar views and said that granting citizenship was a central issue.

“We are opposed to the CAA. We have said it is against the very idea of India. It is against all our dreams and aspirations about India as it violates several articles of the Constitution. However, it is the law now, unless the Supreme Court strikes it down,” Rao said.

However, the president of Telangana Jana Samithi Prof M Kodandaram accused the ruling party of indulging in doublespeak over the issue.

“Merely voting against the Bill in the Parliament is not enough. The state government must give confidence to the people that no register will be made that excludes people on religious grounds. Such an assurance is expected from the government,” he said.

No permission for rallies

The Hyderabad police have denied permission for protest rallies in the city.

“Today, the Left Parties have planned a rally from Exhibition Grounds to Public Garden. They gave a representation seeking permission for the rally to the DCP, Central Zone. Their representation has been considered and rejected by the DCP and the same has been served on the applicant,” a statement by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) P Viswaprasad said.

The student unions from the University of Hyderabad, Osmania University, English and Foreign Languages University and several other central and state universities had also planned to converge at the Exhibition Grounds and march to the Public Garden but they were also denied police permission.

The students at MANUU, who came out in protests after the Delhi police crackdown on Jamia University students, have only been allowed to protest inside the campus.

Arrests

Former CPI MP Aziz Pasha and several representatives of the student and youth organisations were detained by police near Nampally in Hyderabad while they were taking out a rally to protest against Citizenship Amendment Act.

About 50 students from University of Hyderabad (UoH) were also detained while they were in their way to join the protest rally.

Students of Hyderabad Central University including the Students Union office bearers have been detained and taken to Moinabad Police Station. They were detained while they were on their way to join the All India Protest at the Exhibition ground.