BJP to hold 10-day pro-Citizenship Act campaign

The BJP on Saturday showed no signs of relenting on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act and accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of having launched a campaign of “myth and lies” and decided to launch a counter campaign in the next 10 days to “expose their propaganda”.

In the midst of ongoing protests that have turned violent in many places, the announcement came following a meeting chaired by BJP working president JP Nadda. It was attended by the party’s national office bearers and some organisational leaders from states. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were among those who attended the meeting.

Nadda told party leaders that they should work to expose the “conspiracy” of the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Left among others to push their politics of “violence and hate”.

Later addressing the media, party vice president Bhupender Yadav Yadav accused Opposition parties, especially the Congress, of “disturbing” peace in the country and spreading confusion over the law, and asserted that the legislation has infused a new sense of hope and security among minorities of three countries living in India without citizenship for decades. “It is a complete lie being spread by the Congress. We will expose it by communicating with people.We will have press conferences on the issue in more than 250 places in the country and we will end the politics of lies,” he said.

Former PM Manmohan Singh had also spoken in support of minorities from Bangladesh, he said, asking the Congress if it will seek a response from its senior leader.