Shah leads CAA outreach in city
NEWDELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah launched a fresh attack on the Opposition on Sunday, accusing Congress leaders of inciting violence, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) carried out a door-to-door campaign in the national capital to reach out to people over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Protests have continued across the country against the legislation since Parliament approved it on December 11. CAA proposes to ease citizenship for minorities from three Muslim-majority countries — Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghani
stan. Several opposition parties have alleged that the law is divisive and against India’s secular values because it differentiates among people on the basis of religion. Shah led the BJP’S 10-day door-to-door campaign over CAA, with other top leaders of the party reaching out to people across the country on a day protests were seen in the national capital, Bengaluru and other cities. The BJP president visited houses in Lajpat Nagar and talked to people about the amended law while also distributing pamphlets.
Speaking to Delhi BJP workers at an event earlier, he accused Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of instigating “riots” by “misleading” people on CAA. He said there was no provision of taking away the citizenships of minorities under the legislation.
“(Arvind) Kejriwal has misled people. The Congress, especially Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, has instigated riots by misleading people. Do you want a government in Delhi which incites riots for politics?” Shah said. He called the Delhi chief minister and the Congress leaders “anti-dalits”, adding that a large part of those who will benefit from the law are Dalits.
Shah also said Delhi CM Kejriwal failed to fulfil his election promises. He said the BJP will form the next government in Delhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shah’s remarks, which came close on the heels of assembly elections in the national capital, invited a sharp reaction from Kejriwal, who tweeted: “I heard the entire speech of Home Minister Amit Shah. I thought he would point out the shortcomings of our work and talk about the development of Delhi. But he did not say anything except to abuse me. If he has some suggestions for Delhi, then tell me. We will implement good suggestions in the next five years.”
Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra said the party, if elected to power in Delhi, will not implement CAA, proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register.
The Congress also criticised Shah over his remarks against the Gandhis. “The country knows they (the BJP) are the champion of instigating riots. Why is the government silent on issues of youngsters, unemployment and inflation,” said Congress leader Rajiv Satav.
In his address to BJP workers, Shah said the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress came up with a bundle of lies on the issue of CAA and instigated riots. He attacked Pakistan for “terrorising” Sikhs, referring to a recent attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib by a violent mob in Pakistan.
“This is an answer to all those opposing the CAA. Tell me if these Sikhs who were attacked the other day in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib will not come to India, then where they will go?” he asked. Shah said opposition parties were inciting minorities by telling them that their citizenship will be revoked. “I want to tell brothers and sisters from the minority that none of them can lose their citizenship because the CAA has no provision about taking it away,” he said.
The BJP has launched a ‘Jan Jagran’ (public awareness) campaign to reach out to 30 million families to counter what it calls is the Opposition’s campaign to misinform the masses on CAA.
While Shah was in Delhi, top BJP leaders including Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Nitin Gadkari spoke to people in different parts of the country under the campaign. The BJP’S door-to-door outreach programme is scheduled to conclude on January 15.
The Prime Minister last week promoted a video on the legislation by guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and asked people not to fall for “misinformation by vested interest groups”.
Modi and senior leaders of his BJP have defended the controversial law that triggered massive street protests shortly after it was passed by Parliament. Demonstrations have rocked every major city of India, where police has lathi-charged people, shut down internet services, and even resorted to firing bullets. At least 28 protesters have died over the past month.
The government says CAA, which is applicable to refugees entering India on or before December 31, 2014, will help “persecuted minorities” fleeing Muslim-majority countries but opponents – which includes students, activists, and civil society groups – say the law is unconstitutional because it links faith to citizenship, and discriminatory because it omits Islam.
Shah said the opposition parties have become habituated to the “politics of opposition and vote bank”. He asked people to give missed calls to a toll-free number put out by the BJP to show their support to CAA and dismissed rumours that the number belonged to Netflix, an online streaming service. In Lajpat Nagar, he told people to call the toll-free number to express their support to the legislation.