The Maidan spilled over and people were standing on the footpath across the road just to listen to the speakers, without getting much of a view of the proceedings in the dais. And that tells a story – a story that people are unhappy with the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens, and the National Population Register. It was a statement that was made not just loudly at the rally, but also rather eloquently. There was in it a message – if you cared to read it carefully – that there is, at least in Goa, a large section that feels that certain decisions of the government have to be corrected.
The concerns of the people, as can be seen from the resolution that was adopted at the meeting, are entirely on protecting the Constitutional values and safeguarding the citizenship of the people. The resolution states: “We the people gathered here organised by Goa Alliance Against CAA NRC-NPR at Azad Maidan resolve to ensure that our constitution and our laws shall always be bound and continue to be bound on principles of justice, equality, secularism, socialism and therefore we are against any form of discrimination directly or indirectly on grounds of religion, caste, gender, class, occupation, etc.” It is the fear of discrimination on the basis of religion that led to such a large attendance at the rally.
After the protests in Margao that were widely attended, the rally in Panjim followed by the meeting proved that there are genuine concerns over the CAA. What the protest achieved is to make it clear to the government that it has to step in and allay those fears, not by mere words but by action, and the action is that the CAA is withdrawn and the NRC, NPR not implemented in the country. While that would be the demand, the focus should be and as spelt out at the meeting, to create awareness that CAA is not to be looked on in isolation, but along with NRC and NPR and how this will affect every individual.
The meeting also sought that all 191 village panchayats pass resolutions opposing the CAA. That won’t be easy, but if they can get a over 50 per cent of the panchayats doing so, it would already make a difference to the movement. The meeting also sought that the people refuse to share information for the purpose of NPR or the Census 2021 until the CAA-NPR-NRC are withdrawn. That again is a big demand and its success will depend on the individuals who will be visited by the enumerators. How the organisers of the meet expect to achieve this, remains unknown, but for certain, the idea that CAA is discriminatory has gone out and this can make the difference in getting it repealed.
Ever since Independence, India has been an accommodating nation, accepting divergent social and political views. It has not restricted its policies to a very fundamental view. The turn that policies are taking towards a more fundamental view is what has raised concerns across the country, and hence the opposition to the CAA-NRC-NPR. The people have said no to religion-based politics, as such policies can only lead to divisions among the people and hate. Indians have lived in secular bliss, there should be no room for divisive politics. It is for the government to now listen to the voice of the people and take the corrective measures that are necessary. Divisive politics will not create an empowered India.
