New Delhi: Thousands of Congress workers, under the leadership of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Shri Subhash Chopra, today gheraoed the BJP Headquarters on DDU Marg, near ITO, to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha by the BJP Government at the Centre. The Congress demonstrators demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Bill as it is in gross violation of the Constitution, and has created an explosive situation across the county, which will lead to division and instability.
The Congress workers assembled at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan, before marching toward the BJP Headquarters on DDU Marg, shouting slogans against the BJP Government. When the police forcefully tried to stop the demonstrators, it led to a clash between the Congress workers and the police. There was heavy police security, including riot police, to stop the Congress demonstrators from marching toward the BJP headquarters.
Besides Shri Subhash Chopra, prominent others who participated in the demonstration and gherao of the BJP Headquarters included Shri P.C.Chacko, Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal, Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely, Shri Mahabal Mishra, Shri Ramesh Kumar, Shri Parvez Hashmi, Smt. Krishna Tirath, Shri Haroon Yusuf and Shri Mukesh Sharma. They also shouted slogans against the BJP as the atmosphere got charged up with tension.
Thousands of Congress demonstrators shouted slogans such as “Nagrikta Ke Liye Dharmik Aadhar, Nahi Karega Desh Swikar”, “Nagrikta Ke Liye Dharmik Aadhar, Sanvidhan Par Hai Prahar”, “CAB Kala Kanoon, Vapas Lo-Vapas Lo”, “Dharmo Me Jo Kare Bhedbhav, Nahi Chahiye Wo Badlav”.
Addressing the Congress demonstrators, DPCC president Shri Subhash Chopra said that the Citizenship Amendment Bill was a direct attack on the Indian Constitution. He said that the power-drunk BJP was insulting the Indian Constitution which will create division and an explosive situation in the country. Shri Chopra said that this Bill has set a wrong precedent which has raised a question mark on the standing of the country before the world.
Shri Subhash Chopra said that those who are endorsing the Citizenship Amendment Bill was trying to weaken the secular and democratic fabric of the country. He said that this Bill was totally unconstitutional, and that was the reason the Congress workers have come out on the streets to forcefully oppose it.
Shri P.C.Chacko appealed to the Congress workers to be prepared for a sustained fight on this issue, and go amidst the people to tell them about the dangerous situation the Bill would create across the country. He demanded that the controversial Bill be withdrawn immediately.
A resolution moved by chief spokesperson Shri Mukesh Sharma, which was unanimously endorsed by the Congress demonstrators, noted that the Citizenship Amendment Bill will pose a serious threat to the culture, caste, religion and social fabric of the country. The resolution also stated that the Congress workers will forcefully oppose the BJP Government’s agenda of disturbing the core principles of the Constitution and peace in the country.
Former DPCC presidents Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal and Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the Congress agitation against the Bill will be spread all over the country as it was threatening to affect the unity and integrity of the county, and the Modi Government will be fully responsible for the consequences. They alleged that the BJP has introduced the controversial Bill in Parliament to divert the attention of the people from important issues like economic slump, unemployment and the soaring prices of essential commodities. They said that a sensitive society will never endorse such undemocratic Bills.
Former MPs Shri Mahabal Mishra and Shri Ramesh Kumar said that the Modi Government was trying to stoke communal flames in the country. They said that whenever such issues cropped up threatening India’s democracy, not only the economic growth got stunted, but the common people had to bear with the consequences of such destructive policies. They said that the country was presently going through a very difficult phase as the Modi Government has failed on all sectors.
Shri Mukesh Sharma said that the Citizenship Amendment Bill was not only harming the structure of the country, but in many parts of the county, people will be struggling to cope up with an existential crisis. He wanted to know the reaction of the Kejriwal Government on the controversial Bill.
Among those present at the demonstration were former Delhi Government ministers Dr. Narendra Nath and Dr. Kiran Walia, Ex MLAs Ch. Matin Ahmed, Hasan Ahmed, Jai Kishan, Asif Mohammad Khan, Alka Lamba, Veer Singh, Kanwar Karan Singh, Balram Tanwar, Anil Bhardwaj, Ashok Ahuja, Sheeshpal, Malaram Gangwal, Surender Kumar, Neeraj Basoya and Ramesh Lamba, Leader of the Congress in MCDs Mukesh Goel, Abhishek Dutt and Rinku, former leader of the House in the MCD Jitender Kochar Jeetu, former Mayor Satbir Singh, Khavinder Singh Captain, Harcharan Singh Josh, Indu, District president Virendra Kasana, Dinesh Kumar Advocate, Pradeep Sharma, Kailash Jain, AR. Joshi, Rajesh Chauhan, Hari Kishan Jindal, Vishnu Agarwal, Jagjivan Sharma, Jai Kishan Sharma, Chandra Prakash, Naushad , Vahid Qureshi, Anil Vasist.
