Days after former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said that he and his Samajwadi Party (SP) members will not fill up National Population Register (NPR) forms, Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh on Wednesday said the Samajwadi Party chief should stay in Pakistan for a month to understand the atrocities being faced by Hindus there, reports ANI.
BJP Uttar Pradesh President, Swatantra Dev Singh: Akhilesh ji should go to Pakistan & offer prayers at a temple for one month, he will understand what happens there. He does not know what he wants, he should read about Citizenship Amendment Act & National Population Register. pic.twitter.com/uRnlHzBh2B
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2, 2020
“Akhilesh should stay in Pakistan for one month and pray in Hindu temples, then he will have the first-hand experience of atrocities committed on Hindus in Pakistan,” the state BJP chief said. Swatantra Dev Singh’s remarks come after Akhilesh Yadav had said that the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) were against the poor and minorities of the country while claiming that he will not fill up the NPR form.
Singh said that there is nothing wrong in the NPR as it provides simple options like the presentation of Aadhaar card or driving license or confirmation by three residents of the area that the person is a bonafide resident of the area.
He added that before opposing the NPR, CAA or NRC, Akhilesh should study them properly. “He should understand what is NPR, it is nothing, one will be asked to provide identity proofs like Aadhaar Card, driving licence or three persons in your neighbourhood who know you,” Singh added.
Reportedly, Singh also attacked Gandhi-scion Priyank Gandhi Vadra, accused Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of misguiding the people on the law. “The visit of Priyanka to victims of riots with the sole purpose of misguiding them and creating a ruckus is objectionable since people are misguided about the CAA,” said Singh while speaking to the media at a gaushala in Vrindavan.
Read: Mayawati cautions Muslims not to get exploited by political parties over CAA and NRC
Defending the Citizenship Amendment Act, Singh said there should be healthy politics as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is in the interest of the poor.
Swatantra Dev Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are trying to give a respectable life to persecuted minorities from Pakistan. He said that neither Hindus nor Muslims will vote for the Congress and Samajwadi Party as they took a negative stance on the CAA.
The Citizenship Amendment act seeks to give Indian citizenship to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from three neighbouring Islamic countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh after facing religious persecution.
The Act states the refugees of the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of earlier requirement of 11 years. The Act also proposes to give immunity to such refugees facing legal cases after being found as illegal migrants. The cut-off date for granting citizenship will be December 31, 2014.
