The anti-CAA protests are being held in various parts of the country. The protests which started as a peaceful event has now turned blatantly communal and violent as it was evident in various parts of the country including West Bengal, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka etc. One of the anti-CAA protests was also held at the August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
However, the agenda behind the protests are being gradually exposed as most of the protestors who had gathered to express their ‘dissent’ against the Citizenship Amendment Act have no clue regarding what the legislation intends to do.
The ‘dissenting’ protestors seem to have inspired by Bollywood entertainers like Farhan Akhtar who himself had to face severe embarrassment after he failed to provide one logical explanation to the so-called protests against Citizenship Amendment Act. Earlier in the day, Akhtar had resorted to fake claims and propaganda to incite people against the Modi government.
A digital media group named ‘Know the Nation’ managed to interview certain ‘protestors’ on Thursday who had gathered at the iconic August Kranti Maidan, Mumbai to protest against the Modi government over Citizenship Amendment Act.
In one of the horrific videos posted on social media by Know the Nation, a boy who claims to be 17-years-old said he wanted to hang Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah. The young boy claimed that Muslims of the country are being killed and hence he has come to August Kranti Maidan to protest against the alleged atrocities against Muslims. The young boy said he was there to oppose “NRCC”.
We are extremely saddened to put this video out. The sheer extent to which children are being used as pawns to propagate political hate is beyond shocking.
What are we teaching our children?
This clip is from the Mumbai August Kranti Maidan #CAA_NRC_Protests#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/uM5ofVvJUq
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
A young woman at the Mumbai August Kranti Maidan said she was there to make a strong point to the government and show her dissent no matter how much government tried to ‘throttle’ her voice.
As reporter asked her regarding what the protest was really about, the lady protestor was perplexed and did not have an idea about why people were protesting.
“What is the protest about?”
Look how a young woman at the Mumbai August Kranti Maidan #CAA_NRC_Protests did everything to while away time but did not give a straight answer to us. She was one of the many many uninformed protestors at the event.#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/aRXadNoZjY
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
Another clueless lady said CAA was discriminatory against women who got married and intends to change their surnames multiple times after their marriage. The lady claims that she was at the protest for ‘secular’ reasons and claimed that the bill is discriminatory against women who are being trafficked and forced to do prostitution.
“CAA is discriminatory against women who get married and change their surnames multiple times!”
Shocking levels of misinformation was found prevalent among youngsters especially girls.
This was at Mumbai August Kranti Maidan #CAA_NRC_Protests had #ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/V1LPH4MTn6
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
One lady protestor claimed that she was protesting against CAA because she loved everybody in the country except PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Another lady pointing her fingers towards placards that had anti-CAA posts said, “this is ridiculous”. The lady said that she did not want India to be divided again.
Read: Modi government dispels myths about CAA: Here are 19 FAQs and their answers
As the reporter asked what was the exact issue for the protests, the lady got confused and said she did not answer any more questions.
“I came here because I hate Modi & Shah.”
Who is spreading this hate?
When asked who was excluded, another young lady could not answer and requested us to stop shooting.
Who is misleading them?
This is from #CAA_NRC_Protests at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/DiUMuahFwW
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
“The bills affect transgenders who have had to change their documentation,” said another young blindfolded lady at anti-CAA protests in August Kranti Maidan, Mumbai. The lady protestor claimed that the CAA was not just discriminatory to Muslims but also to every other religious group.
“It affects transgenders who have had to change their documentation,” says a young blindfolded lady at #CAA_NRC_Protests in August Kranti Maidan, Mumbai
Several youngsters were provoked into protests by spreading misinformation – especially around transgenders.#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/PLwwL0zm61
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
Shockingly, another lady protestor did not know the reason why she was at the protest site. As the reporter asked the reason for her protest, the lady panicked and refused to give her reason for the protest.
“Why are you here?”
“Umm….I am worried about my friend I cant talk right now..”
Several young women like her had no idea about the #CAA_NRC_Protests held at August Kranti Maidan, yet were assembled in protest. Wonder why?#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/yowsxtYboO
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
The most bizarre one among all those videos that exposed the protestors was one such interview in which the protestors said that she was protesting against discrimination against Muslims as they will be sent to ‘detention camps’ if they fail to submit documents to prove that they are citizens of the country.
#CAA_NRC_Protests August Kranti Maidan:
“Muslims will be sent to detention camps!”
“Where are these detention camps? Inside or outside India?”
“I don’t know”
“Did you see this bit about detention camps in the news?”
“I saw a video clip somewhere online..”#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/41LAvA7Ktn
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
Another group of protestors were holding “Stop Transbill” placards during their protests against CAA at August Kranti Maidan, Mumbai. When asked the reason for raising Trans Bill placards at Anti-CAA protests, a protestor said they were against the “transformation” that is taking place in India. The protestor said he collected the placard from one of his friends.
Read: Modi government dispels myths about NRC: Here are 13 FAQs and their answers published by the govt
In a quick retort, the reporter asked whether the bill had anything to do with the Transgender community, to which the protestor laughed out loudly saying it has nothing to those community but associated with the ‘Transformation’ of the country.
Saving the best for the last!!
These men at August Kranti Maidan #CAA_NRC_Protests were holding a placard that read – “Stop Transbill”
We couldn’t resist inquiring.
“Ek tarah se country ka transformation ho raha hai..hamaare friend ne diya humien ye board!”#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/AacXKRxX6V
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
“The bill will push all the minorities and Muslims out of the country. Our PAN cards and Aadhar cards will not prove our identity as Indians. But it is okay since CAA will protect us Hindus. But Muslims will be losing their rights, land rights sent off to detention camps with millions of them suffering,” said two ladies in the protest in Mumbai.
Asked where will be these detention camps, the lady said the detention camps will be in Assam. The lady claimed that nearly 19 lakh people have already been sent to detention camps.
“If you recall the Nazi incident in Germany, that is what Hitler did. This is fascism. This is the truth. Modi is burning down our country,” said a protesting lady.
“Our PAN cards and Aadhar cards won’t prove our identity as Indians. But it’s okay since CAA will detect us Hindus. But Muslims will be sent off to detention camps built all across the country,” say these oblivious girls at #CAA_NRC_Protests August Kranti Maidan#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/RNfJaoYVcS
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
An NRI student went on to give a short speech on morality and how discriminatory the CAA was but failed to give reasons for any of her claims.
This young NRI student started out with a deep dive into morals and the need to fight for the thought of India.
When asked how #CAA_NRC was discriminatory, look at the expression on her face. Watch till the end!
Clip from August Kranti Maidan #CAA_NRC_Protests#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/jzJ1Inhs20
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
Interestingly, there were two international protestors as well at the protest site in Mumbai. One person claiming to be from France said that the CAA and NRC were super-discriminatory against transgenders because they are no more the same sex they were born into and hence cannot prove citizenship.”
Two cents from this French gentleman spotted with @IAmAnushka at #CAA_NRC_Protests in August Kranti Maidan
“The #CAA_NRC is super-discriminatory against Transgenders because they’re no more the same sex they were born into & hence cannot prove citizenship!”#ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/pzGOXNJUhS
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
“What’s wrong with #CAA_NRC?”
“This is not something I want to talk about!”
This young German lady then ended up calling CAA as one which enforces RACISM.
Was this unwitting crowd brought at August Kranti Maidan only for international appeal? #CAA_NRC_Protests #ISupportCAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/Mgl1CoXZjf
— Know The Nation (@knowthenation) December 20, 2019
It is evident in the video that the protestors have little idea regarding the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act. The protestors also have resorted to fear-mongering by speculating on the provisions of a nationwide NRC, whose guidelines are yet to be formulated by the government.
These videos have exposed the claims of ‘liberal-media’ industry that the ‘protests’ against the Citizenship Amendment Act has been organic and not orchestrated by any political, religious or ideological group. The protestors who have zero ideas of provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act seems to have manipulated and brainwashed by a carefully crafted anti-Muslim narrative of the certain sections of media of the country.
The political parties, backed by Islamists, left groups and pliable media have used the opportunity to incite public, especially Muslims of the country to pick up arms against the country under the garb of protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The Citizenship Amendment act seeks to give Indian citizenship to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from three neighbouring Islamic countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh after facing religious persecution.
The Act states the refugees of the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of earlier requirement of 11 years. The Act also proposes to give immunity to such refugees facing legal cases after being found as illegal migrants. The cut-off date for granting citizenship will be December 31, 2014.
