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Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thack-
eray who despite supporting CAB a few days ago in
the parliament,criticized police actionsaying, “What
happened at Jamiais like anotherJallianwalaBagh.”

pposition leaders from 13 political par-
ties led by Congress president Sonia Gan-
Odhi on December 17 met President Ram
Nath Kovind over police action in Jamia amid tur-
bulence over Citizenship Amendment Act across
the country. The delegation demanded the presi-
dent to safeguard the constitution of India by
advising the government to withdraw (Repeal) Citizen
Amendment Act 2019. They also demanded to set up
commission of enquiry to ensure all those guilty of
perpetuating violence in whatever form be brought
to book.
The delegation asserted in a memorandum, “The
state must realise that citizens do not have the Why should we give citizenship
capacity to challenge the state and only way they can to people who are already
express their opposition is through peaceful protests.
If legitimate constitutional right to protest is sought citizens of Pakistan? What is
to be muzzled in this fashion, our democracy will be the meaning of such challenges
destroyed.”
“We exhort you to protect the federal structure of to the Opposition. It is
the nation and to ensure that this federal structure is gratifying that students and the
not disturbed by government of India by abusing state
power,” delegation stressed. young generation are liberal,
The signatories to memorandum include Sonia
Gandhi, AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Pa- secular, tolerant and exhibit
tel, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibbal, Jairam Ramesh, humanism. Is the government
(all from Congress), TR Balu (DMK), Derek O’Brien
(AITMC), Ram Gopal Yadav and Javed Ali Khan(SP), challenging these values
SitaramYechoori (CPI-M), D.Raja(CPI), Sharad Yadav — P Chidambaram,
(LJD), Prof. Manoj Jha (RJD), ET Mohd Basheer (IUML) Senior Congress leader
Justice Hasnain Masoodi (JKNC), Sirajuddin Azmal
(AIUDF) and Shatrujeet Singh (RSP).
“The situation in the Northeast which is now
spreading throughoutthe country including the cap- brutality on the students when university authorities
ital because of the act, is a very serious situation, we did not allow the police to enter inside. There should
fear that it may spread even further.We’re anguished be a judicial probe into the violence against students
at the manner in which police dealt with peaceful by police in the Jamia campus,” said Azad.
demonstration,”observed Congress chief Sonia Gan- Demanding a judicial inquiry, Bahujan Samaj Par-
dhi. “We’ve an example in Delhi where Police entered ty chief Mayawati appealed to all communities to
the Jamia women hostel, dragged them out and merci- maintain calm after violence reported from both the
lessly beaten them.I think you all have seen that Modi universities. “The violence and protest against the
government seems to have no compassion when it Citizenship (Amendment) Act, first in Aligarh and then
comes to shutting down people’s voices and imple- in Jamia, where many innocent students and com-
ment legislation,” she added. moners were targeted, is very unfortunate and the
Earlier Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and BSP stands with the victims,” Mayawati tweeted.
Kapil Sibal, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D The family rift in first family of Samajwadi Party
Raja, RJD’s Manoj Jha, SP’s Javed Ali Khan and Sharad (SP) is yet to be over despite best efforts of its patriarch
Yadav condemned December 17’s police action against Mulayam Singh Yadav to overcome conflicts among
Jamia students who were protesting against the CAA. them. While it’s national president Akhilesh Yadav is
“How could the police enter Jamia and unleash such opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC

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