Opposition to carry out large assembly against CAA, NRC, says D Raja post parties meet

CPI leader D Raja said that the Opposition leaders have decided to request the citizens to assemble on January 23, 26, and 30, against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), in the spirit to 'Save Country, Save Democracy, Save Constitution'. The CPI leader was speaking about the discussions that took place in the 'All Opposition parties' meeting held earlier on Monday. 

READ | Congress Hosts Meeting On CAA & NRC; TMC, BSP, Sena, DMK, AAP Give It A Miss

Opposition parties meet

Leaders of Congress and 19 other Opposition parties held a meeting in New Delhi on Monday, in order to corner the government over the contentious CAA and the NRC. However, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, Mayawati's BSP, Samajwadi Party, and DMK were among the notable absentees in the meeting that was held to deliberate the strategy. The meeting was called by the Congress party amid the nation-wide unrest against CAA.

The Opposition parties expressed their concern over the violence in the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Univerity (JNU), wherein 37 students were injured and police action over the anti-CAA protests in different parties of the country. The meeting had been called two days after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, in which the party strongly opposed CAA and NRC and termed the National Population Register (NPR) being carried out by the Central government as a "disguised NRC." 

READ | Silent On 'all-Opposition' Meet Flop Show, Sonia Gandhi Launches Attack On Modi-Shah

Rahul Gandhi challenges PM to hold dialogue

Subsequent to the Congress-led all Opposition party meeting over NRC and CAA, Rahul Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Modi to 'have the courage' to initiate a dialogue with the agitating students. He asserted that PM Modi lacks 'the guts' to stand before the students, thus is 'crushing' them by using Police force. 

READ | Rahul Gandhi Snubs Question On Absent 'Opposition'; Challenges PM Modi To Hold Dialogue

"Mr. Narendra Modi should stand up, and have the courage to speak to the youngsters in these universities and tell them why the Indian economy is a disaster. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister does not have the guts to do it," Rahul Gandhi said.

"He does not have the guts to stand in front of the students, so he crushes them using the Police. I challenge the Prime Minister to go to the Universities and stand there, without any Police and infrastructure," the Congress leader added. 

READ | Sena, TMC, BSP, DMK Bunk: Amid Dwindling 'Opposition', Here's Who Answered Congress' Call  

(With inputs from ANI)