Maharashtra: Show copy of Constitution if asked for papers, says Jitendra Awhad

KALYAN/BHIWANDI/THANE: State housing minister Jitendra Awhad on Saturday targeted the Central government for creating hatred among religious communities with CAA. He urged over 2,000 protesters gathered at Kalyan's KDMC ground to keep a copy of the Constitution at home, and said if anybody came at their doorsteps asking for documents, they should be shown that copy. Awhad, who reached the venue at 11.20pm and spoke from 11.24pm to 11.54pm in police presence, and used a speaker to address the protesters, violating Supreme Court rules.
Inspired by Delhi's Shaheen Bagh protest, around 400 have been protesting against CAA and NRC at Govindwadi in Kalyan for 11 days. Protesters claimed that till the central government did not revoke CAA, their protest will continue. They demanded that the Maharashtra government should pass a resolution against CAA and NRC, like Congress-ruled states.
In Bhiwandi too, a group continued their protest for the second day at Millat Nagar.
In Thane, a few thousand citizens held a silent march and rally from Rabodi to the nearby Court Naka. The march, carried out amid tight police bandobast, affected citizens as most motorists were caught unawares.
The morcha was taken out under the banner of Kul Jamat Sanzim, Thane unit. Hundreds of youngsters joined the rally, which culminated with addresses by political leaders and prominent citizens.
Under the pretext of these Acts, a conspiracy was being hatched to split the nation, Ahwad said. These acts were not against Muslims, but against the Constitution, he alleged.
Those who agitate constitutionally were being attacked, he said, and appealed to people not to counter-attack. "This country is the country of Buddha and Gandhi. Let us accept the stones pelted by them and from those stones itself, let us built their tombs," he said.