Modi, Shah misled people on CAA, NRC: Sonia Gandhi

16:26 January 13

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi at opposition meeting said, "Govt has let loose reign of oppression, spreading hatred & trying to divide our people along sectarian lines. There's unprecedented turmoil. Constitution is being undermined & instruments of governance being misused."

"There've been nation-wide protests by youth supported by citizens. Immediate cause is CAA & NRC but they reflect widespread frustration & pent up anger, which is now out in the open. The response of the police in UP & Delhi has been shockingly partisan and brutal."

Gandhi also said, "Prime Minister & Home Minister have misled the people. They've contradicted their own statements of only weeks ago, & continue with their provocative statements while remaining insensitive to the state suppression & violence that is increasingly becoming commonplace."

"Nation watched in horror at BJP-orchestrated assault on JNU coming so soon after what happened in Jamia, BHU, Allahabad University & AMU and other institutions of higher learning. Modi-Shah govt stands exposed for its inability to govern & provide security to people," added Congress Interim President.

16:23 January 13

Congress-led opposition meeting to discuss the current political situation in the country, concludes at Parliament Annexe.

15:49 January 13

Shiv Sena, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party were not present at the Congress-led opposition meeting.

14:34 January 13

Congress-led opposition meet on CAA begins

Congress-led opposition meeting to discuss the current political situation in the country underway at Parliament Annexe in New Delhi on Monday.

Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ajit Singh are attending the Opposition meeting over the citizenship bill.

IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty, C Thomas from Kerala Congress and AIUDF leader Sirajuddin Ajmal also present at the meet.

11:10 January 13

No information about Opposition meet, says AAP leader Sanjay Singh 

On being asked about Aam Aadmi Party to not attend today's Opposition meeting called by Congress, party leader Sanjay Singh, "We have no information about any such meeting. So, it makes no sense to attend a meeting we have no information about."

10:06 January 13

BSP to skip Congress-led opposition meeting on CAA

BSP likely to skip opposition meeting on CAA

BSP President Mayawati on Monday said her party will not attend the Congress-led opposition meeting to discuss a strategy on protests over the CAA and NRC, saying it will "demoralise" her party workers

In a series of tweets, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said her party is against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) but attending the meeting will demoralise BSP workers in Rajasthan, where the Congress has caused defections in her party.

"As is well known that despite the BSP support to the Congress-led Rajasthan government from outside, it has been for the second time that BSP MLAs have been made to join their party which is completely wrong," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

"Under such circumstances, the BSP attending the opposition meeting today under the leadership of the Congress will be demoralising for party workers in Rajasthan. Therefore, the BSP will not attend this meeting," she said.

However, she made it clear that the BSP is against the CAA and NRC 

"As it is, the BSP is against CAA/ NRC etc. It is an appeal to the central government again that it should withdraw this divisive and unconstitutional law. Also, It is very unfortunate to politicize students in JNU and other educational institutions" she added. 

10:02 January 13

AAP to skip Congress-led opposition meeting on CAA

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will skip the meeting of opposition parties called by the Congress to discuss the situation arising out of violence on various university campuses and protests over the amended Citizenship Act, sources said.

The AAP is not attending the meeting in view of the upcoming assembly polls in Delhi, they said. 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has called the meeting on Monday to discuss a strategy on protests over the CAA and the NRC.

09:41 January 13

Opposition to meet on CAA to formalise joint strategy

New Delhi: The Congress has invited all like-minded parties to attend a meeting to formalise a joint strategy on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), as protests against the new citizenship law continue across the country.

The opposition parties will meet at the Parliament annexe here at 2 p.m. on Monday, to chalk out a joint strategy on the CAA, and alleged police brutality against students.

Congress has sent an invitation to all like-minded parties to come up at a common platform.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has, however, refused to attend the meeting. There was no confirmation by former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party as well.

Congress sources said they are confident that all opposition parties of the opposition would attend Monday's meeting.

Samajwadi Party and Congress' new alliance partner Shiv Sena are expected to attend the meeting.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has already sought withdrawal of CAA and National Population Register.

The Congress-ruled states are likely to adopt a resolution on the issue as CWC has already taken a stand on it.

In a meeting on Saturday, the CWC, after passing a resolution, said: "the Narendra Modi-led Central government has unleashed the brute state power to suppress, subjugate and stifle the voice of youth and students across the country".

"A concerted attack on the Constitution, rampant unemployment, commercialisation of education, unprecedented fee hikes and autocratic refusal to listen to the voice and concerns of youth-student have led to spontaneous protests across campuses," it said.

Instead of listening to students, the Bharatiya Janata Party government has unleashed the police on them, made arrests, lodged FIRs, and even planned attacks on protesting students and youth, the CWC resolution said.