Patna: A day after Union Home Minister and former BJP national president Amit Shah, during a rally in Lucknow, said that the Centre would never go back on the amended citizenshp act, JD(U) deputy chief and strategist Prashant Kishor took a jibe at him.
Taking to Twitter, Kishor wrote, “Being dismissive of citizens’ dissent couldn’t be the sign of strength of any Govt. @amitshah Ji, if you don’t care for those protesting against #CAA_NRC, why don’t you go ahead and try implementing the CAA & NRC in the chronology that you so audaciously announced to the nation! [sic]”
It can be recalled that protests broke out across the country in opposition of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act even when it had not yet been passed in both the Houses of the Parliament and signed by the President of India. Protests have continued to this day with violence even breaking out in parts of the country, leading to several deaths.
Those protesting against the CAA have accused it of being discriminatory against the Muslim Community, as it promises Citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistanm, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is also facing widespread protests, identifies undocumented immigrants who came to India after a particular date.
Many argue that the CAA and NRC combined, can be used to target members of the Muslim community who cannot prove their ancestry.
At a pro-CAA rally in Lucknow on Tuesday, January 21, Amit Shah had said that the Act will be implemented regardless of the amount of opposition it faces.
“I want to say that irrespective of the protests it (CAA) will not be withdrawn. Whoever has to oppose can oppose the act, it is not going to be revoked,” he had said.
While the JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in Bihar, some members within their ranks, like Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma, have openly expressed their opposition to the CAA and NRC
