Citizens under the banner of ‘Goa Unity Forum’ gathered in Ponda town of South Goa district on Saturday and held the protest.

Hundreds of people protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Goa, even as the ruling BJP dubbed the agitation as “desperation of the Congress” and like-minded people.

Citizens under the banner of ‘Goa Unity Forum’ gathered in Ponda town of South Goa district on Saturday and held a protest rally. Addressing the rally, retired IAS officer Arvind Bhatikar, who has been spearheading anti-CAA protests in Goa, claimed the new citizenship law will “destroy India” and said, “There is need that we must uphold the Constitution of India. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act is discriminatory and against the Constitution.”

Speaking at the protest, Sahitya Akademi Award winning Konkani writer N. Shivdas said the Constitution is like a “holy book” that unites people of all religions. “We all must uphold and protect this holy book,” he said. Congress MLA Ravi Naik said that CAA was “not only against the Muslim community but also against Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.”

However, BJP leaders in Goa took to social media to condemn the protest. “Why Azadi slogans at Ponda rally? #CAA is a law. Not a word about it. Only emotive, misguiding speeches. Palpable desperation of Congress and like minded!” BJP’s Goa general secretary and former MP Narendra Sawaikar tweeted. In another tweet, he uploaded a picture of a protester holding a placard with the message: “We Stand with JNU” and added, “Authorities need to find the source of such posters at Ponda rally.”

BJP’s South Goa district general secretary Navin Pai Raikar also hit out at the protesters. “These are migrants who live in #Goa on government doles. Let’s give them Azadi by sending them back to where they belong!” he tweeted.