Right to protest has been snatched away, says Rai

Mangaluru: Slamming the centre’s move to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), Congress leader and former Bantwal MLA B Ramanath Rai on Thursday said that these Acts were against the basic tenets of Indian Constitution.

“Citizens must revolt against these Acts in a peaceful manner. This is our struggle to save the Constitution,” said Rai while addressing the gathering at a protest, held by Joint Action Committee of Dakshina Kannada District Secular Parties in front of Town Hall.

The protest was started after garlanding a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar.

Rai demanded a judicial probe into the death of two persons killed in police firing on December 19 and asked the state government to release compensation to the injured as well to the families of the police firing victims.

Further Rai alleged that the state government had pre-planned the violence and sought to know on whose directions prohibitory orders were imposed in the city.

Protesting is the democratic right, which has been snatched away, he added.

MLC Ivan D’Souza, former MLA J R Lobo, Abhayachandra Jain, CPIM leaders Muneer Katipalla, and others were present.