Oppn trying to create confusion on CAA, push country into 'spiral of violence': Shivraj Chouhan

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday alleged that Congress and or opposition parties are trying to create confusion among people on CAA, NPR and NRC and to push country into a "spiral of violence". Attacking Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he asked why she did t say a word in Parliament during debate on Citizenship Amendment Bill but std a protest after it became a law.

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Shivraj Singh Chouhan slams Congress

Chouhan was speaking at a news conference. BJP MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher and city party chief Sanjay Tandon were also present.

"y are misleading people. An attempt is being made to push country into a spiral of violence," Chouhan said, hitting out at Congress and Trinamool Congress.

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Immediately after country got independence, Mahatma Gandhi had said that Hindus, Sikhs and or mirities who did t want to live in Pakistan can come to India and it will be government's duty to ensure ir safety and provide employment to m, he said. For decades, Hindus and or mirities, including Sikhs in Pakistan, have faced persecution on religious grounds and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is for people like m, he added.

At time of independence, mirities constituted nearly 23 per cent of Pakistan's population. It fell to 3 per cent in 2011 and w is around 2 per cent, BJP vice-president claimed.

"If those mirities facing religious persecution are given citizenship and our Parliament passed a law, I want to ask Sonia ji, why y (Congress) opposed it.

"I'm t talking about Rahul Gandhi because he stays abroad more than he does in India. But why does Sonia ji t feel pain and suffering of such people. Sonia Gandhi was present in Parliament during debate, but she did t speak a word on amended Citizenship Bill," Chouhan said.

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"But y std a protest at Rajghat," he added.

Chouhan also questioned Congress president's silence on incidents of violence during protests against CAA."She (Sonia Gandhi) will also have to tell this country why she did t condemn incidents of violence and dam to property. Does she want that country to burn like this," he asked.

According to CAA, n-Muslim refugees who came to India till December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship. Protests against law, which critics allege discriminates on basis of religion, have rapidly spread across country over past two weeks, with protesters fighting pitched battles with police in major cities, including national capital Delhi. Chouhan also targeted Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who led an anti-CAA march in Bhopal earlier in day.

"A person holding a constitutional post and opposing a law passed by Indian Parliament is openly saying he will t accept it. Does he have right to continue as chief minister," he asked.

"Be it (Rajasthan CM) Ashok Gehlot or (West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee or Kamal Nath, y should first leave chief minister's post, n take out such marches," he said.

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" CAA has been passed to grant citizenship and t to snatch anyone's citizenship… Muslims living in India are our own, country is ir's too, this law is t against m," he added. On National Population Register (NPR), Chouhan said it was conceived in 2010 during former prime minister Manmohan Singh's tenure.

" real thing is that y (opposition) cant take on (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, so y are adopting tactics to create confusion, mislead, incite and spread misinformation among public and create a state of fear," he said.

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Union cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared proposal on Tuesday for updating NPR at a cost of Rs 3,941.35 crore. objective of NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in country. database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars. Replying to a question, Chouhan also criticised opposition parties for linking NPR with National Register of Citizens (NRC). "It is unfortunate that an attempt is being made to spread this misinformation. y have been blinded by ir opposition to BJP. Tomorrow, you will link Aadhaar card to NRC," he said.