In response to Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal's statement on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday urged opposition parties, especially from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to "stop telling lies and spreading hatred". He claimed that the CAA only grants citizenship to those who are persecuted because of their faith.
"It does not at all deprive any Indians of their citizenship. CAA only gives citizenship to those who are persecuted based on their faith. I want to tell those trying to spread communal tension in the name of CAA, to stop. Stop telling lies. I urge the parties of south India, particularly from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, to stop spreading hatred," Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi chief minister and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal slammed the BJP-led central government for enacting the CAA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, claiming it diverts attention away from pressing economic issues.
In a video statement, Kejriwal chastised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for what he sees as opening India's doors to Pakistani and Bangladeshi residents under the CAA, calling it a risky move that could have disastrous consequences for the country, particularly in states like Assam.
"What is this CAA? BJP Government at the Centre says that if minorities from three countries - Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan - want to get Indian citizenship, they will be granted the same. It means that a large number of minorities will be brought to our country. They will be given jobs and houses will be built for them," Kejriwal said.
Migrants from six minority communities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh will be granted citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act with retroactive effect. The CAA expedites citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities who entered India from three neighbouring countries on or before December 31, 2014.
Mamata's 'Slippery Political Ground' In Bengal Giving CAA 'Communal Colour': BJP
In response to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's opposition to CAA implementation, Prasad said, "Mamata Banerjee's slippery political ground in Bengal is forcing her to give it a communal colour. We strongly condemn it. To what extent are they willing to degenerate themselves for vote bank politics?"
"Why did they oppose triple talaq? My question is, to what extent will they go for vote banks? They have always opposed developmental laws and policies," Prasad added further.
The BJP statement comes after Mamata Banerjee, a vocal critic of the contentious CAA, stated, "As long as we are in power in Bengal, the establishment of any detention camp will be strongly opposed".
"The NRC will not gain ground in Bengal under our watch. We will vigorously defend the rights of all individuals. "This is guaranteed," she stated at a public meeting in North 24 Parganas.
The Trinamool Congress supremo went on to say, "We will ensure that no one is deprived".
"Even if it costs my life, I am willing to fight injustice. I encourage other states to fight. Under any circumstances, I will support the people of Bengal. We will not allow our rights to be taken away. Other states should also contribute to this fight. As a nation, we will not allow this to happen," she said.
The Union Home Ministry launched an online portal on Tuesday, amid mounting political controversy over a law passed four years ago but implemented just weeks before the general election.
READ | 'BJP Forcefully Provoking People Before Polls': Mamata Says As Centre Notifies CAA