Political provocation behind anti-CAA protests: Gowda

Union minister Sadananda Gowda on Thursday blamed the Congress and Leftist elements for the protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and said that provocation by political parties was the sole trigger.

The Union minister for chemicals and fertilizers was talking to reporters on the sidelines of curtain-raiser function ahead of the Indian Pharma and Indian Medical Device Conference, to be held in Gandhinagar in March.

Gowda's junior colleague, Mansukh Mandaviya, who was also present, said Indian citizens should not fear the CAA.

"Whenever government takes a decision, the opposition party is bound to oppose the move. Our opponent, Congress... they do not have any issue (to bank on) for their political revival and that is why they want to encash on this issue, which is quite unwarranted," Gowda said.

"I don't want to name the two universities from where the protests stemmed....the whole world knows. Left-motivated people are present in these two universities and the protest started from them," Gowda said.

Protests broke out at Jamia Milia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University earlier this week over the CAA.

"Provocation by political parties is the only reason for this protest," the minister said in response to a query.

Mandaviya said that the amended Citizenship Act would not affect any Indian person, as it is meant to give citizenship to those who face religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

"The protests are due to a few people and political parties. When we are giving citizenship to the persecuted people, such protest should not be carried out," the Union Minister of State said.