UMAC to hold silent protest against CAA & NRC in Hyderabad on January 30

The United Muslim Action Committee (UMAC) on Tuesday announced that it will organise a silent protest in Hyderabad against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on January 30. UMAC members, President of Jamat-e-Islami Hamed Khan and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi and religious scholars were present at the meeting. 

'This will be a tribute to the founding fathers of our country'

"On January 30, the day on which Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, there will be a silent protest between Mohammadi line flour mill and Bapu Ghat. There will be a human chain in which every participant will hold each others' hands. This is not a programme being held by a single party or organisation but it is being done to save the soul of our country and save the Constitution of India. This will be a tribute to the founding fathers of our country," Owaisi told reporters. 

Hamed Khan said, "On January 10 at 2 pm, a peaceful rally will be held from Eidgah Mir Alam till Shastri Puram. The rally will end at 5 pm and a public meeting will be held at Shastri Puram. On January 25, in front of the historic Charminar, there will be a protest meeting and also a Mushaira by poets. At 12 am, the National Flag will be hoisted at Charminar."

Owaisi has been very vocal in criticising the government against the CAA, NRC, and the NPR. The MP had also led a delegation of Muslim leaders to meet Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on December 25, urging him to not to conduct National Population Register (NPR) process in the state.

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Anti-CAA protests

Protests broke out across the country after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was cleared by Parliament and signed by President Ram Nath Kovind into an Act. According to the Act, people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come to India till December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution there will be given Indian citizenship. The protesters claim that the legislation was "unconstitutional and divisive" as it excludes Muslims. At a rally in New Delhi on December 22, Prime Minister Modi had said that there has been no discussion on implementing NRC in the country.

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(with ANI inputs)