New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said the violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act were “deeply distressing” and called for “peace, unity and brotherhood”.
“Violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act are unfortunate and deeply distressing,” the prime minister tweeted Monday afternoon. “Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos.”
Violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act are unfortunate and deeply distressing.
Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
The PM was reacting to protests that first broke out in Assam before spreading to other parts of the country. The protests have turned violent in Assam, West Bengal and since Sunday, at the Jamia Millia University in Delhi and the Aligarh Muslim University.
Over the past 24 hours, the unrest has spread to university campuses across the country.
In a series of tweets, Modi addressed the protests that have broken out against the controversial legislation suggesting that “vested interests” were behind the violence while asserting that the act will not affect “any citizen of India of any religion”.
“I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act,” he tweeted. “This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India.”
I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act. This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
Also read: Delhi, Aligarh, Bengal — violent protests against citizenship law break out across India
‘Don’t let vested interest groups divide us’
The Prime Minister further called for “unity” and said the act was in line with the country’s ethos. “The need of the hour is for all of us to work together for the development of India and the empowerment of every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised,” he tweeted.
“We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance.”
The need of the hour is for all of us to work together for the development of India and the empowerment of every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised.
We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
“The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed by both Houses of Parliament with overwhelming support. Large number of political parties and MPs supported its passage,” he added. “This Act illustrates India’s centuries old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood.”
The prime minister further urged people to shun “rumour-mongering and falsehoods”.
“This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood,” he said. “It is my appeal to everyone to stay away from any sort of rumour mongering and falsehoods.”
This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood. It is my appeal to everyone to stay away from any sort of rumour mongering and falsehoods.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
Also read: Pushed to the edge, young Indian Muslims are asked to not react