Youth groups give ultimatum to govt to take back CAA

Rejecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarifications on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) as “lies”, more than 60 organisations of students and youth on Monday gave an ultimatum to the government for withdrawal of the amended law and the NRC proposal by January 26, 2020.

They also demanded rollback of the decision for updating the National Population Register (NPR) expressing doubts over “the intent of the Modi government”, and threatened to further intensify the ongoing movement across the country if their demands were not fulfilled.

“The government is bringing NPR as the first step to NRC. It is not a simple population-counting exercise. We give an ultimatum to the government to withdraw CAA, NRC and NPR by January 26. If our demands are not fulfilled, we will further intensify the movement,” they said while addressing a joint press conference.

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They also announced the formation of a National Young India Coordination and Campaign (NYICC) forum to drive the movement against the CAA, NRC and NPR, giving a call for all India university shut down on January 8, 2020, to press for their demands.

While as many as 63 organisations of students and youth from various states including those from five IITs and some of the private universities have so far joined the NYICC, more such groups are expected to come on board.

The student's wing of the DMK and the RJD, Bhim Army from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand Ulgulan Manch have also extended their support to the NYICC.

“We strongly oppose the CAA, NRC and NPR. Our party president has sent me to extend solidarity with the Young India forum to protect the rights of the students, youth and especially the Constitution,” DMK MLA from Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram constituency CVMP Ezhilarasan said that while addressing the press conference.

The NYICC will continue organising a series of "peaceful" protests and agitations against the Union government in different parts of the country in close coordination with the member organisations until the government accedes to their demand for rollback of the CAA, NRC and NPR.