By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 17, 2019: Thousands of protestors including farmers, student activists, Dalits and people from minority Muslim community on Tuesday gathered here to protest against new Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Registrar of Citizen (NRC) and the attack on Jamia students. The rally was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported.

Wearing black ribbons on their arms to boycott CAA, the protestors were seen on the roads with placards like “CAB is Unconstitutional” and “STOP CAB”.

The protesters also submitted a memorandum to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik and Governor Ganeshi Lal. The memorandum sought to remind the chief minister of his father Biju Patnaik’s legacy and his secular credentials. Quoting Naveen’s 2009 statement that “My every single Bone is Secular”, the memorandum appealed him to stick to his stand on not implementing NRC in Odisha as assured to Muslim leaders who met him at his office.

“Being a secular party your support to the bill had broken the hearts of millions of people of Odisha,” the memorandum said adding that CAA is unconstitutional and it violates Article 14.

Jitendra Biswal, first ever quadriplegic actor and activist, said, “I have joined this protest. Our country is secular, this bill is divisive. The way people are being divided on the basis of religion, I have come here in solidarity with minority brothers. We should live united. I oppose the divisive politics. We should follow the path shown by Gandhiji and Ambedkar. Naveen Pattnaik’s dual face has been exposed. He has shown his true face by supporting this bill.”

The rally organizer Shahnawaz said, “CAA and NRC have devastated our Indian Constitution. We are bound by the constitution of India and the CAA has violated the Constitution. It has violated Article 14 of Constitution. This BJP government has violated this norm. This Act has excluded Muslims that means Right to Equality has totally been violated. We are protesting and confident that this Act will be taken back by the government.”