Bhopal: Opposition BJP in Madhya Pradesh staged demonstrations at various district headquarters throughout Tuesday demanding implementation of the new citizenship law, which is facing stiff opposition from various quarters and the student community in some states.
The protests are by and large peaceful, a police officer said in evening. A delegation of BJP leaders met with state Governor Lalji Tandon with their demand for implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The new law proposes to grant Indian citizenship to members of non-Muslim minorities fleeing Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh due to religious persecution in those countries. Notably, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath of Congress had recently hinted at not implementing the new legislation, saying it is "divisive" in nature and "against the spirit of the Constitution".
State BJP media cell in charge Lokendra Parashar told PTI that the chief minister's remarks on the CAA tantamount to "attack" on the federal structure of India. He said BJP workers protested across Madhya Pradesh to ensure that CAA is implemented in totality.
Parashar also reiterated top BJP leadership's assurance that the CAA was not against Indian Muslims contrary to the projection by some "vested interests" who wanted to give it a communal spin.
BJP workers laid a siege to offices of collectors in various districts and raised slogans in favour of the CAA. A march was taken out in Bhopal in which MLAs of the BJP and the party officer bearers participated, before visiting the governor. "No incident of violence has been reported from any part of the state so far," said Madhya Pradesh Police situation room inspector Yogita Satankar.
The proposed implementation of CAA had first triggered massive protests in Assam which later spread to West Bengal and Delhi, where violence spilled over onto streets and inside a university. On Monday, students of different colleges and groups of citizens staged a protest in Old City area in Bhopal against the police crackdown on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for opposing the new citizenship act.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said there was nothing against minorities in the CAA and accused the opposition of engaging in a "false" campaign over the legislation.
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