Speaking at a civil society interaction in Panaji, Patra said, "Anti-CAA protests in the national capital were intended to blackmail the government by the Opposition during US President Donald Trump's visit to India. The situation is normal in Delhi."
Death toll in the violence over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in parts of North-East Delhi on Thursday stood at 27.
The BJP leader alleged that efforts were on to create a chaotic atmosphere in the country, just like the controversy surrounding the attacks on churches ahead of former US President Barack Obama in 2015.
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"They want to blackmail the government. They want that the government should bend down. I am not saying anything provocative. The government has said repeatedly, that it (CAA) is an act to give rights, not take rights. All the controversial issues which no one wanted to touch earlier, we have in one year, taken such big decisions in controversial matters," Patra said.
(with inputs form ANI)