Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha will launch a 3,000-km march from Mumbai to New Delhi to push for the withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Act and condemn “state-sponsored violence” across the country. Called the “Gandhi Shanti Yatra”, it will cross five states – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana – before culminating in New Delhi’s Rajghat on January 30, the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.
Protests have continued since last month over the new citizenship bill which for the first time makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries to get citizenship if they fled to India because of religious persecution. Critics say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.
Meanwhile, the JNU Students’ Union will hold a protest march today, amid heavy security at campus main gate. A citizen’s march is also planned today at Mandi House at 12 pm.
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