Jaipur: After a large march by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajasthan unit in support of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Jaipur on Friday, the ruling Congress government will be holding a peace March on Sunday. Muslim groups in the city will also be carrying out a rally against the new amended law.
Rajasthan police commissioner Anand Srivastava on Saturday issued a notification about the rally by Muslim groups and the state government, and said an internet ban will be imposed in the Jaipur commissionerate region on Sunday.
Internet blocked in Jaipur on Sunday.
The BJP rally on Friday was attended by a number of senior leaders. Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, BJP state president Satish Poonia, former BJP state president Ashok Parnami and leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria were the key participants.
Mobile internet was not turned off during the BJP march.
BJP leaders spoke against the Congress for opposing the law and suggested that certain kinds of Muslims were welcome to live in India. “India belongs to Muslims like former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan and Param Vir Chakra recipient Abdul Hamid Khan. Those Muslims who will believe in the constitution and are patriots will live in India. Those Muslims who are against the country and constitution are holding a march on December 22, but [chief minister Ashok] Gehlot don’t have the courage to stop those anti-nationals from holding the protest,” said Poonia.
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Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje also supported the law while sympathizing with the illegal migrants. “I literally cried to hear the gory stories of illegal migrants during my first tenure as a CM. Until this act comes into existence, we did it all to help them during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee rule. It resulted in camps for these people. Our efforts have resulted into citizenship of 13,000 people. By opposing this act, Congress is misleading people and causing great injustice to these people,” said Raje.
In a press conference on Saturday, chief ministers Ashok Gehlot said, “I appeal everyone to protest, but not commit violence. Speak out in a peaceful manner, don’t get misled by anyone. Everyone should follow peaceful democratic values according to the basic spirit of the Constitution. Avoid rumors, inflammatory material and fake news circulating on social media. If anyone is spreading violence, then inform the police-administration about it.”