Opposing voices against CAA now even coming from NDA, Centre must take back Act: Mayawati

With many people losing their lives during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday demanded a rollback of the CAA by the Central government and alleged that discontent was brewing among BJP's coalition partners.

Mayawati also urged people to carry out protests in a peaceful manner.

"Now opposing voices have started coming even from within the NDA against the CAA and NRC. BSP, therefore, demands that the Centre take back these decisions. We also appeal to the demonstrators to only use peaceful means for their protests," Mayawati's tweet, roughly translated to English from Hindi, read.

The BSP chief on Friday had said that her party does not believe in violence and destruction of public property.

"We have opposed it right from the beginning when the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was tabled in Parliament. We have been concerned about the way this unconstitutional Act has been implemented. We have been protesting against it since the beginning, but like other parties we don't believe in the destruction of public property and violence," she told ANI.

Mayawati said that MPs from BSP had met President Ram Nath Kovind over the new citizenship law.

"We will continue to oppose the Act. It is wrong," said the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.