Punjab: Congress slams Centre over ‘divisive politics’

Sultana said that the BJP had persistently been trying to divide people on religious lines.

“Detention centres had been set up and there was a fear in minority communities, which was worrisome. It was a diversionary tactic to shift people’s attention from the key issues staring the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fooled people with his false claims of having respect for the Constitution. It is satisfying to see people from all walks of life coming out on the streets to protest the draconian Act,” she added.

Castigating the Centre for “playing with fire” by “polarising people on religious lines”, Sultana said the truth was that RSS and BJP have a “fascist mindset” and these parties have never accepted the national flag and Constitution.

Questioning the intention of the Centre, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said that the CAA had been introduced to single out one particular religion and this will perpetuate sectarian tendencies. “The resolution is an attempt to raise the voice of all those whom the central government was illegally trying to target on religious grounds,” he said.

Referring to the Partition of the country, he said Punjab had not demanded the division even then and more than 10 lakh lives had been lost in that tragic period. “India’s ethos would be tarnished if the Act was not repealed,” he warned.

Cabinet Minister Charanjit Singh said the CAA was a vicious attempt by BJP to introduce religion as basis of citizenship. He thanked the Chief Minister for taking the lead in raising his voice against the dangerous Act all over the country.
Terming CAA as a major threat to nation’s integrity, Channi said through this Act, Modi regime had tried to show concern for people living in other countries while showing scant regard for their own people, who were now protesting against their oppressive policies.

AAP supports resolution against CAA

Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators extended their supported to the resolution presented by the Punjab government against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The party legislators also attacked the National Citizenship Register (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) terming them as unnecessary and unconstitutional moves aimed at dividing the country.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Harpal Singh Cheema, accused the union government of bringing in such unnecessary and divisive laws, simply to create an atmosphere of fear among the minority, including the dalit and the poor, citing the example of demolition of Sri Guru Ravidas temple in Delhi by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which was under the control of the union government.