After protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in some Indian universities turned violent due to clashes between police and students on Sunday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his first official statement on the matter on Twitter.
Calling the violent protests “unfortunate and deeply distressing”, the PM put out a series of tweets on Monday afternoon. He spoke against the damage to public property during the protests, which took place in the national capital at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, and later Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh.
“Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos,” Modi said.
He also claimed that the Citizenship Amendment Act illustrated “India’s centuries-old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood”.
Modi also said that “no Indian” had anything to worry about regarding CAA, and that it was only for those who have faced persecution outside India and have nowhere else to go except India.
Calling for unitedly working towards “development” and “empowerment of every Indian”, especially those who were disadvantaged and marginalised, Modi said, “We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create a disturbance.”
The PM appealed people to refrain from rumour-mongering and falsehoods, too.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed by both Houses of Parliament with overwhelming support. Large number of political parties and MPs supported its passage. This Act illustrates India’s centuries old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act. This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
The need of the hour is for all of us to work together for the development of India and the empowerment of every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance.
This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood. It is my appeal to everyone to stay away from any sort of rumour mongering and falsehoods.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019
Earlier on Sunday, Modi had made some comments, which were called communal by many on social media. Speaking at a rally in Jharkhand’s Dumka, the PM had said that “those who were creating violence with regard to CAA could be identified by their clothes”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dumka, Jharkhand: Congress & their allies are creating a ruckus. They are doing arson because they did not get their way. Those who are creating violence can be identified by their clothes itself. https://t.co/UDb7gDJg6S
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2019
On Sunday, protests against CAA grew violent after public buses and police vehicles were set on fire. When protesters clashed with the police in New Friends’ Colony (near JMI University), the latter dispersed the crowd with batons and teargas shells. According to reports, some protesters entered the campus, after which, the Delhi police entered the University campus and resulted in the clash with the students.
Many students and some police officials were injured in the melee. Police detained around 50 students, who were later released in the early hours of Monday morning.
Protests at Aligarh Muslim University also turned violent on Sunday night, ultimately leading to a 24-hour internet shut down in Aligarh.
After police action at Jamia Millia Islamia Sunday, students at many other universities started protests expressing solidarity on Sunday night and Monday.
The institutions that have joined IIT-Madras, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), IISc Bengaluru, TISS in Mumbai, Delhi University and IIT Kanpur among others.