CAA, NPR a "conspiracy" to take away voting rights: Ketkar

Rajya Sabha MP Kumar Ketkar on Tuesday said the CAA and the NPRwere part of a "conspiracy" to take away voting rights of citizens. He was speaking at a protest organized here against the CAA, NPR (National Popular Register) and NRC (National Register of Citizens).

About 16 educational and social organizations, under the aegis of the 'Federation of Organisation for Social Justice Secularism and Democracy', had organized the protest. The protest also sought to create public awareness on various aspects of the CAA, NPR, and NRC, its organizers said.

The program saw Ketkar, former UGC chairman Sukhdev Thorat and others addressing the gathering. The journalist-turned-politician alleged the CAA and NPRwere part of a "conspiracy" to take away voting rights of citizens.

Ketkar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the BJP were feeling uneasy because of peaceful protests over scrapping of Article 370 in J&K and the new citizenship law. They wanted riots so that they could impose 'Emergency' in the country, the Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said the current ruling dispensation is afraid of non-violent protests, a method used effectively by Mahatma Gandhi against the British.