Opposition misleading, instigating Muslims: Dinesh Sharma

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said on Sunday that political parties in the opposition were misleading and instigating Muslims over the Citizenship

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said on Sunday that political parties in the opposition were misleading and instigating Muslims over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

UP deputy CM Dinesh Sharma alleged that opposition parties were spreading the canard that citizenship of Muslims would be withdrawn. (HT File)

Addressing a press conference here, Sharma said, “The Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav has stated that people will have to stand in a queue to prove their citizenship if the NRC gets implemented. The central government has not implemented the NRC as yet. Yadav is misleading Muslims on the CAA too.”

“The state government wishes to clarify that under the CAA, people facing religious prosecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who migrated to India and have been deprived of their rights will be given citizenship. That the citizenship of Muslims will be withdrawn and they will have no rights in the country is a canard spread by the opposition parties,” he said.

Sharma claimed that leaders of the Samajwadi Party were not only instigating Muslims but their roles in riots and violence had also come to light. “In Sambhal, the sitting Samajwadi Party MP led a mob that indulged in violence and attacked policemen. In Kanpur too, the SP leaders were seen moving with rioters involved in arson and violence,” he said.

The deputy CM said that a large numbers of intellectuals from across the country had come out in support of the CAA. “They have enlightened people regarding the implications of the Act. The opposition leaders, including AICC president Sonia Gandhi, have compared the NRC to demonetisation. With hate posts and wrong information on the social media, the opposition is provoking the Muslim community to launch agitation against the government,” Sharma said.

He said the role of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in organising violent protests in various districts had also come to light.

“In Lucknow, six residents of Malda (West Bengal) were nabbed on the charge of rioting. During probe, the police found that a large number of outsiders were involved in perpetrating violence in the city,” said Sharma.

He said that opposition leaders should enlighten Muslims about the CAA and condemn violence. “The Supreme Court, in its order, has stated that damage to public property should be recovered from the people involved in the riots. The administration has started the exercise to identify the anti-social elements involved in violence. The damage done to public property will be recovered from them. No action will be taken against innocents,” Sharma clarified.

The deputy CM also alleged that rioters were using children and women as shield. “They violated Section 144 (of CrPC) imposed by the administration. Photographs, CCTV footage and videos are being used to identify the rioters,” he said.

To check violence and restore communal harmony, he said, the state government was holding talks with Muslim clerics and intellectuals.

“In Lucknow, people handed over a memorandum to the district administration, pledging peace during Friday namaz. Violence was reported in 21 districts and rioters also used firearms. Fifteen people died and several policemen were injured. The police recovered over 500 empty cartridges. A large number of illegal firearms were used to target the police,” said Sharma.

“After violence, 124 cases have been registered in 10 districts. The state government is monitoring the social media too. Those making hate posts or spreading fake news are being identified and suitable action will be taken against them,” he said.

Taking a dig at Akhilesh Yadav, Sharma said, “The SP chief has raised the issue of women’s safety in the state. He should know that there has been 9% decline in crime against women under the Bharatiya Janata Party government. The state government constituted anti-Romeo squads to take action against the anti-social elements harassing girls.”

He said the UP government had also cleared the arrears of sugarcane farmers.