GVL Narasimha Rao pulls out 'radicals' for anti-CAA stir, says 'real target is Ram Mandir'

In another attack on the anti-CAA protesters, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao said that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is just an "excuse" and the target is Ram Temple. Rao claimed that the protests launched against the new Citizenship law was sponsored by “radical” elements to create unrest in the country. He also termed the protesters as “fundamentalists” in his interview with the news agency ANI.  

GVL on CAA 

Speaking to ANI, the BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao said, “CAA protests which have been going on at several places over the past month are being carried out by some fundamentalists from the Muslim community... CAA is not going to take citizenship of people protesting in Shaheen Bagh. Who is sponsoring the protest? These protests are the handiwork of radical Muslims.” 

He further added, “Parties like Congress, CPM supported citizenship for minorities from Pakistan... they are changing positions now. They all are now subject to blackmail... CAA is just an excuse and their target is Ram Temple. They do not want that Ram Temple to be constructed. They are using CAA to create unrest in the country." 

When asked about Punjab and Kerala passing the anti-CAA resolutions, the BJP leader said questioning any law passed by Parliament does not come under rights of state assemblies. 

Read: Amit Shah tells 'opponents' in Lucknow rally: 'CAA won't be rolled back, despite protests'

The Supreme Court, in November 2019, finally pronounced the judgement of the longstanding, politically sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case. In the judgement, the apex court awarded the disputed land to the deity Ram Lalla and asked the Centre and the state government to give the Sunni Waqf Board a five-acre plot in Ayodhya to build a mosque. They also asked the Centre to constitute a committee for building the Ram Temple on the disputed site.  

Read: BJP's pro-CAA rally features 'wrong map of India' in Karnataka; netizens call out

Protests against CAA 

The death-toll of nation-wide protests against the contentious Act rose to 25. The Act that is seen as anti-Muslim by critics, led to the death of 18 people in Uttar Pradesh, five in Assam and two in Karnataka. Thousands of protesters including women and students have hit the streets to oppose the contentious act, in response to which, the BJP has been conducting awareness campaigns.   

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Prime Minister Modi, defending the CAA had earlier said, "Most students and youth understand the importance of the CAA and why the Union government passed the law. Still there remained some who are being misled on the issue." "We are giving citizenship to people under the CAA and not taking it away. Even today, anyone from any country, whether a believer in God or not can take citizenship of India if the person believes in the Constitution of the country," he added. 

(With ANI Inputs)

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