In UP, DMs, SSPs told to spreadawareness on NRC, CAA

As the opposition continued to build pressure against BJP’s move to implement Citizenship Law which is being touted as a prelude to National Register for Citizens

As the opposition continued to build pressure against BJP’s move to implement Citizenship Law which is being touted as a prelude to National Register for Citizens (NRC), the Yogi Adityanath government has asked the district magistrates and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) to create awareness on the subject.

HT Image

The ruling BJP plans to complement government initiative by rolling out a series of press conferences, nearly 50 have already been held by the party across the state, to dispel the ‘myth’ around Citizenship Law and for which the ruling party and the government squarely blame the opposition whose leaders have been targeting the BJP move.

The ruling party’s outreach would continue through January and though the party and the government share a common goal, the methods vary.

The government initiative, of which DMs and SPs are also a part, is limited to explaining that the Citizenship Law isn’t against Indians but the ruling party outreach is more explicit, replete with details that opposition claims is unsubstantiated.

“We are telling the people how minority Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Christian and Buddhist population in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have dwindled unlike in India where the minority population has increased,” claimed UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh.

BJP publicity literature which party is approaching people with has details like how in 1947 Bangladesh’s Hindu population that was 22 per cent shrunk to 7.8 per cent in 2011.

In Pakistan, the BJP claims, the Hindu population was 23 per cent in 1947 and shrunk to 3.2 per cent by 2011.

In contrast, BJP claims the Muslim population in India was 9.8 per cent in 1951 and was 14.23 per cent in 2019.

“We intend to connect with 50 lakh families across 1 lakh villages in the state to clear the confusion fuelled by half-truths and plain lies spread by a desperate opposition,” said BJP general secretary Gobind Shukla who is also heading the party’s outreach initiative on Citizenship Law that would continue till January 25.

The district magistrates and district police chiefs, however, are going by the ‘book’, preferring to get their points across on Citizenship Law through peace committee meetings.

“We are creating awareness through peace committee meetings where we are circulating provisions of the amended Citizenship Law. There is a view that certain category of people stand to lose their citizenship under the new law. We are trying to dispel this by suggesting that it’s an enabling act,” a district magistrate from west UP told HT.

The peace committees, which date back to pre-Independence period, comprise of influential locals of all religions, who help the police in restoring order.

“We have got copies of the Citizenship Law photocopied and have distributed it to influential people in Peace Committee meetings that are being held at police stations, at tehsil and block levels too. To those who are unable to understand it, we are doing the explaining and this is expected of us too because misinterpretations are giving rise to tension and becoming a law and order problem,” a district police chief said.

The BJP has also roped in its Muslim wing which was briefed by party’s general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal and which has already decided to approach influential Muslims, including clerics.