Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party state unit has kickstarted a massive mass contact programme in Hyderabad to clear what it believes as “misconceptions and apprehensions” about the Citizens Amendment Act (CAA) and to highlight the divisive politics being practised by the Opposition parties to polarise people on religious lines.
The Union Minister of State for Home, G Kishan Reddy launched the “Gruha Sampark Abhiyan” at Padmarao Nagar in his constituency on Sunday with a fervent appeal to muslims not to believe the propaganda unleashed by Opposition parties. “Modi government is for the welfare of all people and no Indian Muslim or person from any minority would be stripped off citizenship because of the CAA”.
Reddy said the BJP workers would fan out in different localities and contact people at their homes in the State capital to explain the features of the CAA and clear the misconceptions. “I urge you to contact the muslim households specifically and explain how the CAA was meant only for those immigrants who fled Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh because of the persecution based on religion”, the union minister said.
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Launching a broadside against the Congress, AIMIM and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, Kishan Reddy maintained that the Opposition parties were unable to take on the BJP on any political issue. Hence they are trying to create a fear psychosis among muslims on the CAA. Referring to the Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, he asked as to why it was keeping silent on this issue. He said the religious minorities in Pakistan were being persecuted and forced to convert their religion.
On the other hand, those who fled these countries and took shelter in India were living in abject poverty without any rights. They neither have a ration card nor are they permitted to vote or build a house in India because they are not Indian citizens. It is for these immigrants, the CAA was passed in the parliament. “No person of any minority community in India would be affected by this Act”, he reiterated.
In fact, it was Manmohan Singh, who demanded the Vajpayee government to bring such an Act. But when he became the Prime Minister later, he did not bring the Act. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who got the bill passed in Lok Sabha, but it was not cleared in the Rajya Sabha in the first stint of the BJP government. Only after the country gave a resounding mandate for a second term of the Modi rule, the bill was reintroduced and both houses have passed it.
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An emotional Reddy appealed to the muslims not to be mislead by a sustained propaganda. “As a Union Minister, I am assuring you. All are equal for the BJP. No muslim need to feel threatened or intimidated.” He asked the Congress to clearly state why it was opposing the CAA. In fact, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi owe an explanation to the nation on these count.
He found fault with the Human Rights activists and other organisations for not coming out in support of the CAA, as it was meant to protect the human rights of immigrants. “Aren’t these activists aware of the religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh? Why cant they speak about it?” he questioned.
Accusing the AIMIM of trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere by fanning communal feelings, he demanded that the ruling party in Telangana should also state its stand clearly and explain why it was opposing the CAA. The TRS should also explain why it was supporting the MIM on this issue.
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Kishan Reddy made house calls in the colony and explained the salient features of the CAA. He interacted with two muslims Moin Khan and Feroze Ghouse Khan and explained the features of the CAA to them.
BJP state unit president Dr K Lakshman, MLCs N Ramachandar Rao, P Sudhakar Reddy and other BJP leaders participated in the meeting.