Swara Bhasker lauds students of Jamia for waking up entire country against CAA

Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker on Wednesday lauded the students of Jamia Millia Islamia for "waking up the entire country" against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which she claimed is a "targeted" law.

Bhasker, along with her co-star from Raanjhanaa Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, attended a public meeting on the new legislation outside the university.

The students of Jamia welcomed the New year with cries of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Azaadi'.

The actress, who has been vocal in her criticism of the new citizenship law, termed it a "targeted" law and claimed it is an "attack" on the Constitution of India.

"There are no two ways that CAA, NRC and NPR are targeted laws and have a targeted agenda. This new law is not only an attack on Muslims but also an attack on the country's Constitution and the very idea of our country," she alleged.

"The people who talk about taking a citizenship test, I want to tell them that we do not have any right to question the country's Muslims. India's Muslims gave an 'agnipariksha' in 1947 and need not pass any test," Bhasker said.

Stressing that the current situation warrants every Indian to stand for the Constitution forgetting their religious identity, the actress said those who support the new law are "against the country".

"You are not doing anything for the country's good but fulfilling Jinnah's dream. Those standing here (referring to Jamia Millia Islamia) are fulfilling Gandhiji's dreams," she said.

The actress said in the last five to six years, hatred is being legitimised through terms like 'tukde tukde' gang and 'anti-national', and legislation like CAA.

"But we have all understood what the game is and we will not allow them to play the game," she said.

Bhasker lauded the students of Jamia and civil society members for their peaceful protest which has "woken up the country's conscience".

"We were sleeping and you have woken us up. The sea of people that has come forward in every part of the country is not only a symbol of protest but of unity. These are protests supporting the dream of unity and equality," she said.

The actress said people should have woken up when Mohammad Akhlaq was killed in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri for allegedly slaughtering a cow, but credited the students of Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University for "waking up the entire country".

"We have woken up late but now we have woken up. You have woken up the entire country. We are here to thank you," she said, adding that this is not a movement of celebrities or politicians but a movement of students and civil society members.

Echoing a similar sentiment, Ayyub said the university's name will be written in golden letters because of the movement it has started across the country.

Radio Jockey Sayema said every household should have a copy of the Constitution along with religious books like Gita, Quran and Bible to understand its content.