BJP organized a Press Conference at their Chandigarh Party Office Kamalam, Sector 33, Chandigarh to discuss the CAA. BJP National Vice President and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh interacted with the media and presented party’s stand and response to nationwide protests against CAA bill. Member parliament from Chandigarh Kiron Kher, BJP Chandigarh President Sanjay Tandon, BJP Chandigarh Gen. Secretary Chander Shekhar and BJP Chandigarh Media in charge Ravinder Pathania was also present on the occasion.Shivraj opened the press conference by greeting merry Christmas to all the countrymen and gathered media personnel. He paid homage to Sh. Madan Mohan Malviya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, being their birthdays today.Shivraj Chauhan addressed that media and said that while BJP celebrates the occasion of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as ‘Sushasan Diwas’, Congress and other opposition parties are misinforming and misleading the people of the country to spread hate, violence and unrest in the country. Shivraj said, it was Mahatma Gandhi’s desire that after the partition of India and Pakistan, all non-Muslims who do not wish to live in Pakistan should be allowed to come to India. In 1950, Prime Minister of India Jawahar Lal Nehru entered into an agreement with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaqat Ali, known as Jawahar-Liaquat accord where both leaders agreed to protect the rights of minorities in both countries. India went on to become a secular state where every citizen has the same rights irrespective of religion. Whereas, Pakistan, an Islamic country did not honour the agreement and has been persecuting the non-Muslims in their country since independence. Studies show the population of minorities in Pakistan was 23% after the partition but it has been reduced to less than 3% now.The CAA bill was passed in the parliament with due process and diligence after a debate. Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi did not participate in the debate and never said a word when this bill was being discussed in the parliament.
Citing the above facts he asked Sonia Gandhi following questions:
-When all these people from neighbouring countries have fled these countries to escape from religious persecution and seek refuge in India, should India turn them away?
-While Sonia Gandhi along with her family is leading the protests against CAA at Rajghat today, why was she and Rahul Gandhi silent about this bill when it was being discussed in the parliament.
- Why has Sonia Gandhi not condemned the violence and destruction of public property carried out at different places in the name of protest against this bill?
Isn’t Sonia Gandhi and her party misleading the people by fomenting unrest, hate and violence in the name of protests. Her silence on violence in the country clearly shows her tacit support for it.
Shivraj singh further said that constitution of India brings all matters pertaining to citizenship under the jurisdiction of Union government. So, How can the chief ministers of opposition party, namely Mamta Bannerji of West Bengal, Kamalnath of Madhya Pardesh, Ashok Ghelot of Rajasthan on their protest and oppose of the act which has been passed by the parliament after due process. He questioned, that how can a Chief Minister whose duty is to uphold the laws as passed under the constitution of India, protest against the law? He demanded they should resign first if they want to protest against laws which have been passed by the parliament of the country after due process.Shivraj informed that the National Population Register (NPR) was not made by BJP government but passed by Congress led UPA in 2010 when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister. Since Congress and opposition parties have no issue to take on Prime Minister Modi, they are using false propaganda and misinformation to mislead the people of this country. Shivraj said, Congress party and people should understand that CAA is a bill to ‘give’ citizenship and not to ‘takeaway’ citizenship.Shivraj informed that moving forward, BJP has decided to start a nationwide awareness campaign about the CAA bill. Under the campaign several programs like public meetings, seminars etc will be organized to make people aware of the CAA bill and its provisions. The campaign will be run till January 5, 2020. He concluded by saying that the party will not let ‘tukde-tukde’ gang harm the country.