CAA-NRC won't even spare Hindus, warns Prakash Ambedkar

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar - the grandson of the Architect of Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - on Tuesday warned that not only the Muslims, but even the Hindu community would bear the brunt of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register for Citizens.

In order to oppose the implementation of the CAA-NRC, the VBA will organise a massive sit-in protest here on Thursday, he said, after a meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Elaborating, Ambadkar claimed that besides Muslims, the CAA-NRC will hit at least 40 per cent of the Hindus in the country, and its implications are not yet fully understood.

These include nomadic tribes who comprise 12-16 per cent of the population, around 9 per cent tribals, besides 'alutedars' and 'balutedars' (small migrant labour communities), who have no documents of any type, he said.

"Under such circumstances, when these (above) will be asked to produce their birth certificates and if they are unable to do so, then they are liable for action under the NRC," Ambedkar pointed out.

Accompanied by legislator Kapil Patil and other leaders like Dhanraj Vanjari and Arun Sawant, the VBA chief informed Thackeray that despite the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's claims and propaganda, these new laws will hit not only the Muslim community but a large section of the Hindu population.

Thackeray has already stated the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will await the Supreme Court verdict on CAA-NRC before taking any decision on its implementation in Maharashtra.

He has also sought to dispel apprehensions among the Muslim communities and said the rights of all would be safeguarded.

An official said that Tuesday's meeting between Thackeray and Ambedkar follows a similar meeting with a delegation of senior state Muslim leaders on Monday.

The exercise is part of a series of consultations by the MVA government intended to build confidence among various communities amidst ongoing nationwide protests against CAA-NRC since the past 10 days.IANS