HYDERABAD: The Old City on Saturday was witness to a unique amalgamation of poems, patriotic songs and satirical pieces against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) at an event.
The Jashn-e-Jamuriyat and Ehtejaji Mushaira organised by the United Muslim Action Committee at Khilwat Grounds was well appreciated by citizens who, for registering their protest against the CAA-NRC-NPR, have been regularly flocking the venue to attend fiery political talks and demonstrations at odd hours.
The event was headlined by 70-year-old Urdu poet and lyricist Rahat Indori, whose poems of defiance and resistance were met by wild cheers from the thousands who had gathered at the Khilwat Grounds beside Chowmahalla Palace. In one of his poems, Indori says, “Kiraedar hai, zaati maakan thodi hai?/Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yaha ki mitti mein/Kisi ki baap ka Hindustan thodi hai? (You are a renter. Is this your ancesntral property?
Everyone’s blood is present in this soil/Does this country belong to anyone’s father?)
Earlier in the day, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, whose party is part of the UMAC, informed the gathering about the High Court’s denial of permission to their plans to hoist the national flag on Republic Day. “The HC has said that the event has to end by 9.15 pm,” Owaisi said.