CAA, NRC protest: Goa NDA ally resigns from govt body

Panaji: Vice chairperson of the Goa government's State Minorities Finance and Development Corporation and president of the women's wing of the Goa Forward party, Ashma Sayed, on Wednesday, resigned from the post as a mark of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which she claims are aimed at dividing India. Goa Forward is a member of the pan India National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Sayed was appointed as a vice chairperson of the newly formed corporation aimed at facilitating loans and assistance to members of the minority communities in Goa in 2018, sometime after the formation of the BJP-led coalition government, which was supported by the Goa Forward party.

"I have resigned as a mark of protest against the CAA and the NRC, which are aimed at dividing the country. Both the laws are unfair and discriminatory and against the country's Constitution," Sayed told IANS on Wednesday.

Incidentally, Goa Forward, the party which Sayed represents, is no longer a member of the ruling coalition, but according to its president Vijay Sardesai the regional party continues to be a part of the NDA network.

Sardesai was sacked as deputy Chief Minister from the Pramod Sawant-led cabinet last year, following which the Goa Forward party, which has three MLAs, withdrew support to the ruling BJP-led coalition government.