Cong does what Pak has been doing for long: Modi on anti-CAA protest

Claiming that the recent move of Citizenship Act was “1,000 per cent correct”, Prime Minster Narendra Modi on Sunday (December 15) accused the Congress and its allies of fuelling violence over the amended Citizenship Act.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Modi said the opposition’s actions prove that the decision to pass the bill was “1,000 per cent correct”, and those indulging in arson “can be identified by their clothes”.

He also stressed that the “Congress is doing what Pakistanis has been doing for long”. “The Congress and its allies are stoking fire over the Citizenship Act, but people of northeast have rejected violence,” he said during an election rally here.

“The country is watching; peoples faith has been cemented in Modi after the Bill was cleared by Parliament. Their (Opposition) actions reflect that the decision to pass Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament is 1,000 per cent correct,” the prime minister said.

Protests have been raging against the law in northeast and West Bengal, where several railway stations, trains and buses were set afire by mobs over the last two days. “People who are setting fire (to property) can be seen on TV. They can be identified by the clothes they are wearing,” he said without elaborating.

He also attacked the Congress party for holding protests outside Indian embassies across the world, comparing these acts with Pakistan. “For the first time, the Congress did what Pakistanis has been doing for long.”

A large number of people had gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London on Saturday to protest the amended Act and what they branded as Modi governments “failures”.

“You will be surprised at the events that had unfolded near the Indian High Commission in London after the verdict was announced on Ram Janmabhoomi and the abrogation of Article 370. People from Pakistan, those settled in London, had staged demonstrations outside our embassy,” he said. “Did any Indian stage demonstration near the Embassy? If there is any issue, a person goes to the Embassy, meets the officials, who then send the documents to the central government,” Modi explained.

Efforts were being made to tarnish the country’s image, he alleged. Protests have been raging across the entire northeast region and West Bengal over the amended Citizenship Act, as people fear that it might exacerbate the problem of illegal immigration.

He claimed that leaders of the opposition parties have only built palaces for themselves without paying any attention to the problems faced by common people. The Congress and the JMM have no roadmap or agenda for developing Jharkhand, Modi insisted.

(With inputs from agencies)