New Delhi: As the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act raged across the country, the Opposition parties on Thursday hit out at the government accusing it for taking ‘draconian’ measures to muzzle the voice of the people. Opposition parties alleged that an “undeclared Emergency” has been imposed in the country in the light of restrictions and detention of thousands for defying prohibitory orders to deal with the mounting protests against the new citizenship law in multiple cities.
Rejecting the charge, the Centre and the BJP said no government can tolerate violence and alleged that the opposition parties were fuelling the protests for vote bank politics.
The Congress said the BJP should be ashamed of this as it is the democratic right of every Indian to protest. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi warned that “the more the government tries to suppress the voice of people, the louder it will become”. She said the government has shut metro stations and internet services in Delhi and have imposed CrPC Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “This government has no right to shut down colleges, telephones and the Internet, to halt metro trains and to impose Section144 to suppress India’s voice and prevent peaceful protests. To do so is an insult to India’s soul.”
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing a rally, challenged the Central government to have a UN monitored referendum she said, “Just because the BJP has got the majority doesn’t mean that they can do whatever they want. If the BJP has guts, it should go for a UN-monitored referendum on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the NRC. Let there be an impartial organisation like the UN or the Human Rights Commission conduct it.” NCP leader Nawab Malik lashed out at Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday over the police action against those protesting against the CAA, comparing him to “General Dyer”. Attacking the high handedness of the Central government, the left parties attacked the government. CPI(M) general secretary Mr. Sitaram Yechury said, “Today’s protests showed the determination of youngsters to not let democracy be butchered. This was not a one off protest, such protests will continue,” CPI general secretary D. Raja said citizenship cannot be based on religion. “The BJP is working against the legacy of Sardar Patel and citizenship cannot be based on religion. The CAA is an undeclared subversion of the Constitution by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (Union home minister Amit Shah),” he claimed. Mr. Raja said Left parties were overwhelmed with the support they received.
National working president of the BJP Mr. J.P. Nadda refuted all the charges of the Opposition. He said, “India is marching ahead under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will continue to do so. The CAA will be implemented, so will be the NRC in future,”
Asked about Opposition from several parties, including the Congress, TMC and the Left, he quoted home minister Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament that they were speaking the same language as Pakistan on the issue. Mr Modi has been taking decisions which are “humanist” and in the interest of the country, Mr. Nadda said. While Union minister for minority affairs Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said any kind of violence is unwelcome, including that of police excess if any.
