Hyderabad: Protestors planning to join the anti-CAA on January 4 are confused after receiving two different calls from the divided leadership organising the stir in Hyderabad. The first call for a ‘million people march’ was given on December 31 by the Joint Action Committee against CAA, NRC and NPR, while a second protest call was given by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, via his Twitter handle on Wednesday, for two dates – January 4 and 5.
Protestors are confused and bitter as to why there are two different calls being given for the same cause. There is anger, especially amongst the young Muslim protestors, who see it as a design to highlight ‘disunity’ rather than project ‘unity’ for the cause.
Mushtaq Mallik, chief of Tehreek Shabaan, said, “we have given a call for people’s participation against this anti-constitutional law. The Necklace Road was identified but since the police gave permission only for Indira Park, we finalised it.
“The JAC had written to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to lead the march. We have called several social activists and leading political party leaders to join us in this protest as we wish to showcase it as a people’s movement.”
The AIMIM had also applied for permission for January 4 and 5 a few weeks ago. Mr Owaisi, in his tweet, said that he has proposed a protest march from Darusalam to Masab Tank, and one from Charminar to Dharna Chowk. Senior party leaders said that their call for a rally was different from the march.
This stand of party workers of the MIM and members of the anti-CAA JAC is clashing at the ground level.
Local people are getting invites from two places for the same cause but at different venues.
Anger is also pouring out on social media from youngsters, who wonder how these two protests are different from each other. Political considerations, mood of people and whether it was an ‘attempt to sabotage the movement’ are being discussed.
Youngsters from both people’s side – MIM party workers and JAC members – are indulging in bitter argument on social media. But showcasing ‘disunity’ is only harming the protest, youth say.
Nizamuddin Farooqui, who volunteered to help poor Muslims respond to NRC documentation process in Assam, said, “This move by politicians to divert attention is to get political mileage for municipal elections in the state. These tactics will not work as people are not ready to listen. People are upset with Islamic scholars and maulanas who are taking a pro-CAA stand. There is severe distancing by people of such leaders, who are with political parties supporting the CAA. At the ground level, no maulana will be taken seriously if they have a pro-CAA stand. Appeasement through silence, not participating in protests and not calling people to join are being taken seriously by youngsters.”
The JAC has given a call to join the stir to people from different social organisations.
