NEW DELHI: After being stayed away from the sit-in agitation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens, Delhi Chief minister and AAP president Arvind Kejriwal finally ends his silence.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) voted against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament and the CM opposed it in every rally and interview.
Addressing a town hall event moderated by Times Now, the AAP supremeo talk about the protest at Shaheen Bagh that entered its 40th day.
What is Article 19?
Delhi CM said that Article 19 of constitution of India guaranteed right to every citizen to protest peacefully adding that the protesters should not create “inconvenience” to public.
On CAA-NRC
Responding to a question on CAA-NRC and the Delhi’CM silence on Shaheen Bagh protest, Kejriwal said:
“My going there will not put a lid on NRC and CAA. If my presence would have helped, I would have ended it (CAA, NRC) in five minutes. If the Centre revokes CAA and NRC, then people protesting across the country, not just in Shaheen Bagh, will return to their homes.”
“This country will progress when schools and hospitals will be built, when scientific temper will be cultivated. This country will not make progress through NRC and CAA, which have been brought to divide the country. But people will put cold water over their designs,” added the CM.
On illegal Hindu & Sikh immigrants
Speaking on persecuted Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan living in six camps in Delhi, the CM said:
“Chhai (six) camps ke liye satyanash kar diya poore desh ka? The problems of Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains and Muslims living in Delhi are my problem. Aapko Pakistan ki badi problem padi hai? Have you resolved the unemployment crisis being faced by Indian Hindus, Sikhs and Christians? You could not do so, that is why you are distracting people.”
Protests against India
Thousands of people, including women and children, have been protesting since December 15 at Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Millia Islamia as well as in different parts of the country against and in support of CAA.
Excluding Muslims, CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.