Gadkari alleges Congress treated Muslims as Vote Machine, says is it a crime to be a Hindu?

Nagpur:

Taking on the Congress led opposition protest over the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Sunday slammed the Congress for treating Muslims as Vote Machine. Addressing a rally in support of the CAA in Nagpur, he wanted to know whether it was a crime to be a Hindu? While Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis reiterated that the CAA law is not against any caste or religion.

This forms part of the ‘Sampark Abhiyan’ launched by the party yesterday to apprise the people about CAA. Announcing the nationwide program, Maharashtra incharge Bhupendra Yadav stated that rallies, public meetings and press conferences will be held by the BJP to make people aware of the facts of the CAA.. The Abhiyan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi in which he clarified that the amended law has got nothing to do with Indian citizens.

Pointing to his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) union minister remarked “me 101 takke ‘half chaddiwala’ ahe; pan kontyahi dharmavar anyay kela nahi” (yes I am 101 percent half tracker (half pant), but I have never have discriminated against anyone on the basis of religion). I have ensured that two Pakistani artists got Indian citizenship.

Gadkari argued that the CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) are two different laws. Allaying fears that the law is aimed at taking away the citizenship rights of the minorities, he said that the father or our constitution Dr B R Ambedkar has given us the power to exercise our duties and rights. Stating that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was there ideal, Gadkari stated that the Muslims in India are safe and secure.

Lambasting the Congress for politicizing the issue, the senior BJP minister remarked “Congress has always laid the red carpet for foreigners. India has been the only country to give asylum to Hindu refugees. India has always respected other faiths. The true meaning of one’s faith is adhering to one’s duties. Is it a crime to be a Hindu?”

Gadkari further added “where are the Hindu’s in Pakistan? Where have the Hindu’s in Pakistan and Bangladesh gone? The law is not aimed at doing any injustice on to the Muslims. It is Mahatma Gandhi had argued that India should give asylum to Hindu’s from Pakistan and Bangladesh as and when they feel the need for it.”

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis argued that people are supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act as it is not against any caste or religion. “But only for political gains some political parties are misleading the people and trying to create confusion. Today people are on the streets to show their support to the Citizenship Amendment Act”