Citizenship Act: Centre responsible for violence across India, says Azad

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday blamed the Centre for the violence across the country over the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying had it not brought such a law this situation could have been avoided.

He also accused the BJP-led central government of being responsible for "death of expectations" of people of Jammu and Kashmir by removing Article 370 and downgrading the status of the state.

"It is the central government which is solely responsible for the violence in the country for bringing a law which is being opposed all over the country and by all opposition political parties. Had the government not brought this law, there would not have been any violence. So it is the central government which is responsible," he told 'Agenda Aaj Tak' while brushing aside charges by the BJP that opposition parties are fuelling protests against the new law.

He also alleged that the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has "seen the "death" of wishes of people of the state and now what would one expect from the people who are "dead" now.