Bharat Bandh: Shutdown call against CAA, NRC today; security tightened up
The Bahujan Kranti Morcha in association with the Kurnool JAC for Protection of Constitution has called for Bharat Bandh on Wednesday to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and EVMs. Among several other organisations, women of Shaheen Bagh have also supported the Bharat Bandh. The organisation also demand that NRC should be implemented on the basis of DNA.
The members of Bahujan Kranti Morcha forced a train to halt at Kanjurmarg. Sources have suggested that the trains on the Central route are running late today due to the ongoing protests. However, the fast line traffic is said to be normal right now.
The Muslim women, who have been protesting for the last 40 days against CAA and NRC in Shaheen Bagh will today, march at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. During the march, some of the Shaheen Bagh's women will address the protesters.
Security has been tightened up in several states, including Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, in view of the shutdown called for today.
According to a Times of India report, the bandh was originally called by Maulana Sajjad Nomani, secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which has been supported by Bahujan Kranti Morcha and Jamiat-E-Ulema-E-Hind.
Versatile Minorities Forum, a Surat-based non-government organisation, has also supported the Bharat Bandh. According to reports, VMF office bearers have been distributing pamphlets in Muslim-dominated areas of the city urging people to support the strike.
At least 10 trade unions had called for the Bharat Bandh on January 8 and January 9 that had evoked mixed response across the country, with banking and transport services being affected partially and few incidents of violence seen in West Bengal.
The All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation had organised the first phase of the protest on December 20, last year. It was followed by pan-India protests on January 9. A letter with 12 demands, including issues pertaining to CAA and NRC, was submitted to the respective district administrations.
The bandh was supported by the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees' Federation of India, which led to disruption of banking services in several districts across the country.
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