Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to spread awareness and garner support for the contentious Citizenship law amid countrywide protests against it. Tweeting under the hashtag #IndiaSupportsCAA, he asserted that the law doesn't take "anyone's citizenship away".
"#IndiaSupportsCAA because CAA is about giving citizenship to persecuted refugees & not about taking anyone's citizenship away (sic)," PM Modi tweeted.
"Check out this hashtag in Your Voice section of Volunteer module on NaMo App for content, graphics, videos & more. Share & show your support for CAA... (sic)," he said, asking people to support the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA.
On another handle, PM Modi shared a video of spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev talking about the CAA. "He provides historical context, brilliantly highlights our culture of brotherhood. He also calls out the misinformation by vested interest groups," he wrote.
In the massive protests that have swept India since parliament cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill earlier this month, at least 20 people have died. The law, for the first time, makes religion a test of citizenship in the country. The government says the law will help the persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Critics, however, say that admitting illegal migrants as citizens on the basis of religion violates the fundamental rights to life and equality.
As protests continue, the BJP has begun a nationwide outreach and plans to connect with three crore families. This will include several hundred rallies and more than 250 press conferences and, the government says, it will clear "misconceptions" about the law and "spread awareness". The outreach decision is in line with a suggestion by the Supreme Court which asked the centre, earlier this month, to consider using audio-visual medium to make citizens aware about CAA.
The ruling party has been actively tweeting from its official handle today to "bust myths". Last week, PM Modi blamed the Congress for protests for spreading rumours about the CAA and the NRC.
"The Congress and its allies - some urban Naxals -- are spreading rumors that all Muslims will be sent to detention centers... The CAB and the NRC will not apply to the Muslims of the country," he had said at a mega rally in Delhi meant to launch BJP's election campaign in the national capital where assembly polls are due next year.
The National Register of Citizens - meant to weed out illegal migrants from the country - was rolled out in Assam earlier this year and left 19 lakh people out.
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