People stage protest against CAA, NRC in Bengaluru

People gathered outside Town Hall here on Saturday to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Speaking to ANI, Sasikanth Senthil, a former IAS officer, said, "The act is completely unconstitutional and has to be withdrawn immediately. It is a biased act and it cannot survive in the country."

He alleged that the Centre wants to pit the majority against the minorities and gain the votes of the majority.

"Power is their only requirement and they are not bothered about the country," Senthil said.

Nation-wide protests have been taking place against the CAA, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

Several states including Punjab, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Kerala have opposed the law, saying that they would not implement it.

A resolution demanding the withdrawal of the amended citizenship law was recently passed in the Kerala Assembly.