Team Herald
PONDA: Over thousand locals from Ponda held a protest at Dada Vaidya Chowk, Ponda against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) under the banner of Goa Unity Forum. Ponda Congress MLA Ravi Naik also joined in the protests.
Naik, the former chief minister spoke about how Congress is opposing CAA and that the Act is discriminatory.
He also said that besides Muslims, there are Christians, Hindus as well as ST, OBC citizens who do not have proper documentation related to their births and marriages and he added that they too will face problems in proving their citizenship.
He further warned that those who cannot prove their citizenship could be kept in detention centres and their properties could be auctioned after they are declared as outsiders.
Earlier, the protestors, who were holding placards and shouting slogans, criticised the CAA for dividing India on religious grounds. They added that they will continue their agitation until the Act is withdrawn and that they will never tolerate injustice on Muslims.
One such protestor Amir Mulla condemned CAA for targeting the Muslim community and going against the provisions of the Constitution and reiterated their demand for it to be scrapped immediately.
Another protestor Muzaffar Ahmed spoke about how till today, there was unity in the country irrespective if the person was a Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist etc.
He appealed to people from all religions to remain united as before and not to fall prey to the anti-constitutional laws of the government.
Ahmed added that instead of inciting citizens on religious lines and acting against Muslims, the government should try and solve the problems of unemployment, poverty and similar issues that need urgent attention.
