Modi defends citizenship bill at rally
Indian PM kick-starts BJP’s campaign to retain power in general elections due by May
KOLKATA: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised a controversial citizenship bill pending in Parliament at a rally in West Bengal state, kick-starting his Hindu nationalist party’s campaign to retain power in general elections due by May.
In a speech broadcast live on Saturday, Modi urged the opposition Trinamool Congress party-led government of West Bengal to support the bill, saying “my brothers and sisters here need it.”
The bill, which passed the lower house of Parliament earlier this month, would give citizenship to some Hindus, Jains, Parsi and several other non-Muslim religious groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Protests against the bill have rocked northeastern Indian states bordering Bangladesh.
The initiative is part of a Modi government effort to promote India as a sanctuary for persecuted Hindus globally. Modi urged West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress to support the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament to give the refugees living in India the right to citizenship.
Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Thakurnagar, home to the Dalit Matua community, Modi said India is the only place that can provide shelter to thousands of Hindus, Sikhs and refugees of other communities, who came from neighbouring countries to save themselves from communal violence.
“After the country was divided during independence, thousands of people including the Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis had to take shelter in India due to communal violence.
“These refugees should get the right to citizenship. India is the only place that can provide them shelter,” Modi said addressing a packed ground here in North 24 Parganas district.
“That’s why our government has come up with Citizenship Amendment Bill. I urge the Trinamool Congress leaders to support the Bill and help the refugee brothers and sisters to get their rights,” he said.
The Lok Sabha has already cleared the Bill, which is now pending in the Rajya Sabha.
Taking a swipe at Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, Modi said the massive gathering at his rally shows why Banerjee and her party were resorting to violence to stop the Bharatiya Janata Party here.
“After seeing the crowds and the enthusiastic scenes, I understand why didi (elder sister — as Banerjee is affectionately called) is resorting to violence.
“This is your love, which has scared those who are doing drama of saving democracy and are bent on killing innocent people,” he said.
Modi will visit Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh next week to launch several infrastructure projects and is also slated to address at least two public rallies, a BJP official said here on Saturday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) official said that Modi will arrive in Guwahati on February 8 and will head to the two other states the next day.
“The Prime Minister during his overnight stay in Guwahati would meet BJP leaders and other parties over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill issue,” the leader said on the condition of anonymity.
In Arunachal, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation of the greenfield airport in Hollongi (in Papum Pare district) on February 9 and will also address a public rally there, the official said.
Modi will reach Agartala the same day where he would unveil a statue of Tripura’s late king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya at the city’s airport, inaugurate an extended railway line and open an academic building of the Tripura Institute of Technology.
He will also address a public gathering at the Swami Vivekananda Ground.
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb told IANS that Modi’s visit is being finalised in consultation with the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the visit, several tribal parties, including the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), will submit a memorandum to Modi demanding withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.