'Will join Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya, pay respects to Babri Masjid'

Actress Pooja Bhatt, Dr. Kafeel Khan, Umar Khalid, Fahad Ahmad read out the preamble of the Constitution during Learning the Truth behind CAA, NRC and NPR. Pic/Suresh Karkera

A day after India's 71st Republic Day, a Constitutional Conference was held at Colaba's Radio Club on Monday evening by Farhan Azmi's Parcham Foundation and We the People of Maharashtra. While the event was meant to discuss preserving the values of the Constitution, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi's son Farhan took aim at chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying if the CM goes to pay his respects at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, he will go to Babri Masjid to pay his respects.

Celebrities like Pooja Bhatt and prominent activists such as JNU's Umar Khalid, ex-IPS officer Abdur Rahman, Dr Kafeel Khan and Fahad Ahmad were present at the event. A question-answer session was held later in the evening.

"You have made that person chief minister whose party's logo is the tiger. Does a tiger ever lose his stripes? No. We do not trust the government. If Uddhav Thackeray goes to Ayodhya on March 7, I will tell my father and his party workers to come along. He will pay respects at Ram Mandir and I will pay respects at Babri Masjid."

He vowed to bring down
the government if it does not bring out a notification against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).
The organising team also presented a memorandum to representatives of the government, demanding action against the CAA, NCR and NPR within 30 days.

The event was supposed to be a Tiranga March but was denied police permission at the last minute. Its format was then changed to a conference.

Farhan also urged the attendees to choose NOTA in the next election unless parties give citizens a clear picture.

"We request the government to accept our memorandum. We are seeing a shift in Shiv Sena's stance. If it is a real shift, then we need to see action too. We have declared a Satyagraha. Now the ball is in the government's court. Will they join us or stay aloof?" said Khalid.

Actress Pooja Bhatt said, "Our silence will not save us and neither will the government's silence save them. The ruling party has actually united us. The students are giving us the message that it's time to raise our voices. We will not stop until we are heard loud and clear. Dissent is the greatest form of patriotism."

Whereas, ex-IPS officer Abdur Rahman said, "It is coloured legislation. There is no refugee crisis in India. It is being manufactured to divide us and give them power for many years."

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