Street protests against legislature's decisions road to anarchy: Modi on CAA stir

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday warned that street protests and arson against decisions of Parliament and state assemblies and people's refusal to accept laws will lead to anarchy, as he accused the Congress and other opposition parties of inciting protests against the CAA and the NPR.

Stoutly defending the Citizenship (Amendment) Act(CAA) and the updation of the National Population Register(NPR), Modi told Parliament there is an attempt to cover undemocratic activity under the garb of protests and that no one is going to get political benefit.

The prime minister accused the Opposition of using all its might to stoke "imaginary" fears about the CAA and the NPR which is worrisome and dangerous for the country.

"Don't try to mislead people", Modi asserted, as he likened the Opposition's stand on the CAA to that of Pakistan, saying Islamabad spoke the same language for decades to mislead and incite Indian Muslims.

Modi tore into the Opposition in marathon combative speeches in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and said those rejected by people in elections are fuelling protests against the CAA and the NPR for their "vote bank politics". The fresh attack against the Opposition came two days ahead of the Assembly polls in Delhi which has witnessed protests in Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Millia and other areas.

Maintaining that the CAA does not affect any Indian citizen and poses no harm to minorities and that opposing NPR for political reasons will deprive the poor of benefits of welfare schemes, the prime minister said instead of scaring people right information needs to be provided and that there should be proper discussions. Questions asked in the NPR are purely governance related, he stressed.

The prime minister said Census and the NPR are "usual administrative" processes which have been carried out previously as well but have now suddenly become contentious.

Modi was replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. The Motion was later adopted by the two Houses.

The prime minister delivered a stinging rebuttal to the Opposition over most issues its members raised to criticise his government and took on the charge that he pursued communal politics and wanted Hindu rashtra. He cited comments of Jawaharlal Nehru to back the law and said the Congress stalwart wanted citizenship for minorities from Pakistan.

Modi said Nehru had wanted to defend minorities in then West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

"Was he communal, did he want to create a Hindu Rashtra...I want to ask the Congress," the prime minister said.

Modi also touched on the issues of Kashmir, economy, unemployment and farmers distress while taking frequent digs at rivals, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi whom he dubbed a "tubelight". Describing Jammu and Kashmir as the "crown jewel of India", he said the identity of Kashmir was buried when the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits began in 1990.

Amid thumping of benches by ruling BJP members and their allies, the prime minister invoked the Constitution to warn against street protests to oppose decisions taken by Parliament and state assemblies.

The Congress was expected to be a responsible Opposition, but it had taken a wrong turn, he said.

Noting that the CAA was passed by Parliament and duly notified, he told opposition parties that the road taken by them raises worries, a reference to anti-CAA protests and support to them by many anti-BJP parties.

"What will happen if people refuse to accept a decision taken by the Rajasthan assembly, stage dharnas and resort to arson?' Modi asked and gave a similar example of Madhya Pradesh. The Congress is in power in the two states.

"What will then happen? Can the country run this way? This is road to anarchy... Such a way can put you (Opposition) in trouble as well. I am giving this warning as we all should be concerned about the country."