India's ruling party and opposition hold rallies over controversial Citizenship Act
Record ID:
1450093
India's ruling party and opposition hold rallies over controversial Citizenship Act
- Title: India's ruling party and opposition hold rallies over controversial Citizenship Act
- Date: 23rd December 2019
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SENIOR LEADER OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY, RAHUL GANDHI, SAYING: "You (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) could not provide employment (to the youth of India), you could not handle the economy, that's why you are hiding behind hatred. That's why you are trying to divide the people." KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (DECEMBER 23, 2019) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) PRESIDENT OF INDIA'S RULING BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP), JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA, LEADING A RALLY SUPPORTERS MARCHING NADDA WAVING AT THE CROWD VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT THE RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) LAWMAKER FROM RULING BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY, ROOPA GANGULY, SAYING: "The people who are non-vocally in support of the law are much more than the people who are opposing the law. We have organised this march in peace to bring forward those people who are in favour of the law from different places." NADDA WAVING AT PEOPLE
- Embargoed: 6th January 2020 17:37
- Keywords: Bharatiya Janata Party Citizenship Amendment Act Congress India Muslims Narendra Modi New Delhi Rahul Gandhi refugees
- Location: NEW DELHI AND KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
- City: NEW DELHI AND KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002BB7322V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The two leading political parties of India, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and main the opposition Congress Party, led rallies on Monday (December 23) to present their side of the controversial citizenship law.
In capital city New Delhi, senior Congress Party leaders, including party president Sonia Gandhi, chiefs of various states ruled by the party, and former Prime Minister of Manmohan Singh, gathered at 'Rajghat' - a memorial dedicated to India's iconic freedom fighter, Mahatma Gandhi.
Meanwhile, in eastern Kolkata city, India's ruling BJP took to the streets in a protest led by party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda. Party legislator Roopa Ganguly said the rally was to bring forward those people who are in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), who are reportedly much more in number than those in opposition.
The CAA aims to fast-track citizenship for persecuted Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The passing of the bill on December 11 triggered widespread demonstrations in the eastern state of Assam, as protesters feared it would convert thousands of illegal migrants from neighbouring Muslim-majority Bangladesh into legal residents.
At least 21 people have died during clashes with police as thousands of people rallied in towns and cities across the country, marking the biggest challenge to Modi's leadership since he first swept to power in 2014.
Modi's government says that the new law is required to help non-Muslim minorities by providing them with a pathway to Indian citizenship.
Protesters say the citizenship law will be followed by the national register, which they fear is designed by the Hindu-nationalist government to expel Muslims who do not have sufficient citizenship documentation.
The government has refuted those allegations and vowed to protect all citizens equally.
(Production: Hannah Ellison) - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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