Citizenship law, NRC have nothing to do with Indian Muslims, says Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused his rivals of stoking fears among people and misleading Muslims over the amended citizenship law and asserted that his government's schemes have never done any discrimination on the basis of religion.

Addressing a rally at Ramlila Maidan here, he said the citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens have nothing to do with Indian Muslims.

"Citizenship Act doesn't apply to any Indians - be it Hindu or Muslim. It applies to the refugees from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan," he said. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Modi made his point but not without taking a sharp dig at the Gandhi family.

On Sunday, Modi was at his aggressive best when he referred to certain opposition parties as "remote control" behind the current anti-CAA agitation. "There's no discussion on NRC... Some educated urban naxals are spreading this rumour that all Muslims will be sent to detention centres. 'Ye jhhut hai, ye jhhut hai, ye jhhut hai' (These are lies)," he said.

On Sunday, Modi spared no one. Not just the Congress he also took a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as well. Referring to the controversial demand of the Trinamool chief for a UN-monitored referendum on the issue, Modi said she had a different position on the subject a few years ago. "Didi, what made you change your mind?" asked Modi.

A lie is being spread that this government had brought the law to snatch people's rights, the prime minister said and dared rivals to find anything discriminatory in his work.

Unable to challenge him in elections, Modi asserted, his rivals have resorted to dividing the country through rumours.

Without naming the rival parties, he said people were incited by those in high positions, who shared fake videos.

Though the focus of the rally was the upcoming Delhi Assembly election where the BJP's state unit drummed up the fact that the Centre regularised illegal colonies that benefitted thousands, Modi chose it to be the platform to answer the raging opposition against the Citizenship Amendment Act.