Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on Friday criticised the Shaheen Bagh protests by alleging that this movement is nothing but the connivance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. He pointed out that slogans like 'Jinnah wali Azaadi' were being raised in these protests, adding that people need to decide whether they will support protestors chanting 'Jinnah wali Azaadi' or instead side with 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' chants.
"It is clear from what the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi have said that the Shaheen Bagh movement is connivance with the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress. There is an effort to mislead people. Slogans like 'Jinnah wali Azadi' are being raised. People need to decide what they want, Jinnah wali Azadi or Bharat Mata ki Jai," Union Minister Javadekar said while addressing a press conference in Delhi.
The Union Minister also reiterated the purpose of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in that it was meant to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities in the three countries. "Let me tell you that no citizenship will be lost from the CAA. This law is only for those who have come from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. These people were tortured a lot in Pakistan and Bangladesh and these people fled from there. Citizenship law was brought in the country for them," Javadekar said.
He also accused Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal of standing with those who were raising the slogans "Bharat Tere Tukde Tukde Honge (India, you will be divided into pieces)". Javadekar said that toxic thoughts such as this were hurting the minds of the public. "Poison is being filled in the minds of children. A video is going viral, saying that Modi and Amit Shah will be killed!" he exclaimed.
Notably, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had earlier supported the ongoing protests against the CAA at Shaheen Bagh.
The Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch of road no. 13 A in the national capital has been closed since December 15 last year after protesters occupied the road following the police action on Jamia Millia Islamia students on the campus.
The protest, led by women, has become an inspiration across the country with similar protests erupting in various cities as part of a larger movement against the CAA-NRC.
The new law promises citizenship to members of 6 non-Muslim communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014. Massive protests have erupted across the country against the new law.
Massive protests have erupted across the country against the new citizenship law. Critics say that the new 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.
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 "Union Minister Prakash Javadekar")
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