NEW DELHI – In India, leftist parties, traders, farmers and agricultureworkers have announced a seven-day nationwide protest from Wednesday and ageneral strike on 8th of next month against the Citizenship Amendment Actand the National Register of Citizens.
In a joint statement, all these parties said the protest programme wasannounced in solidarity with the trade unions, which have also called ageneral strike on 8th of next month.
Meanwhile, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s remarks drew sharpcriticism in which he slammed the people calling for protests in thecountry against the new citizenship law.
Retired and serving military officers accused Indian Army Chief of needlesswading into the raging political controversy over the citizenship law.
Meanwhile, US based daily the Los Angeles Times says Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi‘s record as leader of the world’s largest democracy has beenblighted due to his government’s religiously biased policies againstMuslims.
Read Top Stories
In an article, the paper reports that Indian government has enforced harshlaws against public gatherings and blocked internet access, making itdifficult for protesters to gather and to report official abuses.
The paper quoted a fact finding report by human rights activists which saysthat Indian forces targeted Muslims and fired stun grenades and bullets atthem along with using religious slurs during recent protests againstcitizenship law.
