Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party MLA Venzy Viegas over the CAA statement saying the opposition parties were harbouring animosity towards other religions
“Aam Aadmi Party MLA from GoaVenzy Viegas, has criticized the notification of rules related to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was duly passed by both Houses of Parliament in 2019. He highlights that the bill faced condemnation and spurred several agitations. My question to Mr. Viegas is this: since when have agitations and condemnations by anti-India forces, especially those with a secessionist agenda, begun to determine the credibility or legitimacy of bills passed by the Indian Parliament, which, according to the Indian Constitution, holds supreme authority?” asked BJP State spekespersons Giriraj Pai Vernekar.
The voices that have infamously chanted “Bharat Tere Tukde Honge” cannot dictate the legislative framework of our country, he said.
“The privilege of deciding which act remains or is repealed rests exclusively with the people of India, through their elected representatives in Parliament. It is disheartening to witness Mr. Viegas, an elected representative himself, attempting to undermine the Parliament’s authority,” he said.
Vernekar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not introduced the CAA clandestinely.
“Through their manifesto, the BJP has consistently reassured the Indian populace. Whether it was the abrogation of Article 370, the construction of the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, or the CAA, the BJP has always made promises to the electorate and fulfilled them,” he said.
The CAA aims to offer citizenship to our brethren from the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and Parsi communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, who face persecution based on their religion, the BJP Spokesperson said.
“Why is the Aam Aadmi Party and its MLA opposing the provision of Indian citizenship to our Hindu or Christian brothers and sisters? Has appeasement politics led these parties to harbor animosity towards other religions?” he asked.
He added, “Let me clarify two points: First, the CAA does not prevent any foreign national, including Muslims, from applying for Indian citizenship. The granting of Indian citizenship to the renowned singer Adnan Sami by the current government serves as a testament to this fact.” However, Vernekar continued, the CAA specifically facilitates expedited citizenship for those religious minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who have been persecuted for their faith and have sought refuge in India.
“The CAA represents a humanitarian gesture towards those who consider India a safe haven, granting them the rights of citizenship. Having endured considerable suffering in their countries of origin for being a religious minority, these individuals should not be further deprived of dignity,” he said.
Second, he added, the CAA does not affect any existing citizen of India, regardless of their religion. Thus, the portrayal of the CAA as anti-minority is baseless and dangerous propaganda by anti-India elements and opposition parties, seeking to divide India along religious lines.
“Such attempts to malign India will be unequivocally rejected by the Indian public, and in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the people of India will overwhelmingly support Shri Narendra Modi Ji, ensuring the NDA secures more than 400 seats,” he said.
Vernekar says the frustration of Viegas is understandable, given his embarrassment of having to withdraw his candidacy from the South Goa Lok Sabha seat after AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal effectively sacrificed the AAP Goa unit in a bid to secure more seats from the Congress in Punjab and Delhi.
“Instead of sowing division among Indians along religious lines, Mr. Viegas would be better served by addressing these concerns within his own party leadership. To reiterate, the CAA was enacted through proper legislative procedure, and the BJP Government remains committed to its swift implementation,” he said.
