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‘Firm on decisions taken on Article 370 and CAA’: PM Modi in Varanasi
Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act have rocked the nation since the controversial law was passed by both the houses of Parliament last year.
With nationwide protests against the new citizenship law continuing unabated, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government stood by the decision despite all the pressure to scrap the new law.
The Prime Minister was addressing a public gathering in his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi.
“Be it the decision on Article 370 or the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, it was necessary in the interest of the country. Despite pressure, we stand by our decision and will remain so,” PM Modi told the gathering.
“We took both these decisions after severe opposition from various corners of the world. We are committed to our decisions and we will continue with them,” the prime minister said.
WATCH | ‘Standing firm’: PM Modi’s message from Varanasi amid anti-CAA protests
Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act have rocked the nation since the controversial law was passed by both the houses of Parliament last year. Students in the leading universities of the country have also been protesting over the last two months against the law demanding that it should be scrapped since it was both discriminatory as well as unconstitutional. More than 30 people are believed to have been killed in the violence which occurred during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister inaugurated the 63-feet tall statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya along with 30 other projects in Varanasi. On a day-long visit to his constituency, PM Modi inaugurated a 430-bed super-speciality government hospital in the city.
He also flagged off the IRCTC’s ‘Maha Kaal Express’ through a video link during his visit. It will be the first overnight private train in the country to connect three Jyotirling pilgrim centres of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, and Ujjain and Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa were also present in the meeting at Varanasi.
