Prime Minister Narendra Modi trained his guns at the Congress and people protesting against the new citizenship law on Thursday, saying the demonstrators were opposing Parliament and accusing the Opposition of keeping mum on religious atrocities in Pakistan.
Speaking at a religious shrine in Karnataka’s Tumakuru, Modi said protecting and supporting minorities of neighbouring countries who seek refuge in India was a cultural and national responsibility. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, offers a quicker path to citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Pakistan was formed on the basis of religion, religious minorities are being persecuted there. The persecuted have been forced to migrate to India as refugees. Congress and its allies don’t speak against Pakistan, instead they are taking out rallies against these persecuted minorities and refugees,” he said after paying respects at the “Gadduge” (resting place) of Shivakumara Swamiji at Siddaganga Math, a prominent seminary of the influential Lingayat sect.
“Those who are protesting against the Parliament of India, I want to tell them that the need was to expose Pakistan’s deeds on the world stage. If you want to protest, protest and raise voice against Pakistan’s deeds for the last 70 years... Instead of opposing parliament, why aren’t they questioning Pakistan for its atrocities on Dalits,” he added.
Modi and senior leaders of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have defended the controversial law that triggered massive street protests shortly after it was passed by Parliament in December. 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 26 protesters have died in the past month.
{{/usCountry}}Modi and senior leaders of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have defended the controversial law that triggered massive street protests shortly after it was passed by Parliament in December. 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 26 protesters have died in the past month.
{{/usCountry}}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.
But Modi rejected these arguments on Thursday and sought to blame Pakistan and opposition parties. He said that atrocities against minorities and Dalit people was rising in Pakistan and it was India’s duty to help them. “Most of the Hindus who have come from there are Dalits and downtrodden, we cannot leave them like that, protecting them is our cultural and national responsibility, he said, adding, “We should also help Sikh, Jain and Christians who have come from Pakistan.”
The Congress rejected the accusation and said the anti-CAA stir was not against Pakistan but the “divisive work” of the BJP. “We will not let you break the country,” it tweeted.
Senior leader Randeep Singh Surjewala also referred to reports of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal reportedly saying he won’t allow foreigners to settle in his state. “Your own CM is openly opposing CAA. Will you now declare him ‘anti national’? I challenge you to dismiss him before criticising the opposition,” Surjewala said.