HYDERABAD: Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) by students of various educational institutions continued in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The lawyers of Telangana High Court also gathered together to protest. The lawyers, however, were divided on the issue of support. While one group raised slogans against the CAA and the proposed NRC, the other group supported these Acts.
While the student community seems to be majorly against the CAA and NRC, the legal fraternity, however, is divided over the issue. While one set of lawyers distributed sweets, hailed the Central government, raised slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai under the banner ‘Advocates for Nation’. They also condemned the overstay of Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar and raised slogans condemning the CAA and the NRC.
K Karunasagar, lawyer at the Telangana HC in support of the CAA and NRC said, “We welcome the Central government’s move of bringing in the CAA, and demand immediate implementation of both the CAA as well as NRC across the country. We should be able to quickly identify the illegal immigrants including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, and should send them back to their respective countries.”
The other group of lawyers, protesting against the Act held banners raising slogans of ‘Save Secularism’ and ‘roll back CAA’. ZH Javed, HC lawyer against the CAA and NRC said, “We are protesting to save secularism. We are against this Act, as it will only divide the country in the name of religion. We will form a joint action committee of Telangana advocates and will educate people about this unconstitutional Act. We are not scared of this government, we will not stop our protests until this government rolls back the Act.”
Students to intensify protest
Students of the Government Nizamia Tibbi College gathered near Charminar on Wednesday, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The students of the College have decided to take out a rally in protest on Thursday.
Despite advice by the University administration and State police to end their protests, the students of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) continued their protests on Wednesday. Various student organizations from the Osmania University have decided to conduct a public meeting in the OU campus on December 23.