Bommai asks Muslims not to fall for smear campaign of Congress

Basavaraj Bommai at the signature campaign launched in support of CAA. Photo: Special Arrangement

Reiterating that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will not affect Muslims, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday asked Muslims not to fall for the smear campaign by Opposition parties, especially the Congress.

Launching the signature campaign in support of CAA at Suratkal, Mr. Bommai said there will be no trouble for any Muslim from the CAA. “Your ration card will be more strengthened. Nothing will happen to your Aadhaar card. Nobody will drive you out from the place you are staying. Opposition parties, more so the Congress, are trying to create fear and building a sense of insecurity among Muslims,” he said.

Mr. Bommai said the CAA was nothing but the process of legitimising the stay of a person who has fled from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh following religious persecution. “You see a good number of people from different parts of the country, who have problems at their place, come to earn a living in Mangaluru. Government gives such residents electricity, water and title deed for the place they are staying. Does this in any way affect you at all? No. With CAA, a similar exercise will be carried out and it will not affect Muslims or any other residents here.

“Those spreading lies and creating fear among Muslims are acting against the State,” he said.

BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel said the BJP will hold a massive CAA awareness programmes at three places including Mangaluru and Sindhanur in Raichur district, which has large number of Bangladeshi refugees. There will be awareness campaigns in all district centres.

Mr. Bommai and Mr. Kateel earlier signed on a poster to begin the campaign to send letters addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in support of CAA.