BJP to launch toll-free number for support on Citizenship law

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stones unturned to gather support for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and this time, party president Amit Shah is likely to launch a toll-free number for people to give missed calls to register their endorsement of the law ahead of the party’s 10-day mass contact drive from January 5.

This comes at a time when India is witnessing widespread protests against the new legislation that seeks to provide citizenship to minorities from three neighbouring countries who arrived in India by Dec 31, 2014, due to religious persecution.

BJP general secretary Anil Jain told news agency PTI the toll-free number is expected to be released on Friday (January 3) so that people can register their support for the new Citizenship law.

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Shah will also visit a household on Sunday (January 5), most likely in the national capital, to lead the party’s 10-day campaign during which its leaders and workers will contact, the party has said, three crore families to rally support for the CAA.

All leading faces of the party, ranging from Union ministers to organisational leaders, will be travelling to various parts of the country during January 5-15 for the drive, Jain said. People will be urged to take to social media to voice their support for the law during the campaign, he said.

Party leaders have already been holding public meetings and press conferences over the issue as they work to counter the opposition’s campaign against the new citizenship law.

Accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of carrying out a “misinformation” drive to mislead people about the Act, Jain said the CAA is all about giving citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It has nothing to do with any Indian citizen, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)