Govt using brute force to suppress dissent, showing 'utter disregard' for people's voices: Sonia Gandhi on CAA protests

Amid violent protests across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday accused the BJP-led NDA government of using brute force to suppress dissent while showing "utter disregard" for people's voices.

"In a democracy, people have right to raise their voice against policies of the government and register their concerns. BJP govt has shown utter disregard for people’s voices and chosen to use brute force to suppress dissent," Mrs Gandhi said. 

The Congress chief expressed Congress' solidarity with students and citizens in their just struggle against the controversial law.

In a video message, she said people have the right to raise their voice against wrong decisions and policies of the government, and register their concerns.

"The Congress party assures the people of India that it is fully committed to stand up and defend their fundamental rights and uphold the foundational values of our Constitution," she said.

The UPA chairperson also termed the act as "discriminatory" and said the proposed nation-wide NRC will particularly hurt the poor and vulnerable. 

Massive protests have erupted in India following the introduction of the contentious new citizenship law.

The controversial law promises citizenship to "illegal immigrants" belonging to minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution in the three countries. 

While critics say that the law is against the secular nature of the Indian Constitution and clubbed with the NRC may be misused to strip away some Muslims' citizenship in the country. 

The BJP, however, has argued that the law has nothing to do with India's Muslims and only helps those who fled religious persecution in the neighbouring countries.