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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a frontal attack on the Congress party and its allies saying they have spread lies and given silent approval to acts of violence, arson and destruction of public property by those protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in different parts of the country.

The Prime Minister was addressing a huge ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in the Union Capital. After the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, some political parties are spreading rumors, the Prime Minister said adding some people are saying that the Citizenship Amendment Act is against the poor. Falsehood is being propagated that the refugees will take away the rights of the poor. They should, at least pity the poor before spreading such lies, Modi observed.

Modi said that the Congress and its allies and the educated Naxalites living in cities (Urban Naxals) are spreading rumors that all Muslims will be sent to detention camps due to CAA and NRC.

Modi asked where were the parties that are now making so much noise in 2004 when the government of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir decided that the the daughters of Jammu and Kashmir will lose their citizenship if they were to marry a resident outside the State. Wasn’t that discrimination as far as the spirit of the Constitution of India was concerned, he went on to underscore.

These are the same people who did not have any problem with the permanent resident law on gender basis in the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, but when we are opening the doors for the persecuted religious minorities in the neighbouring countries, they are unable to digest it, Modi observed

They’re agitating for the sake of vote bank politics, spreading violence and false rumors, the PM said.

Mahatma Gandhi had said that Hindus and the Sikh brothers living in Pakistan should be welcomed when they come to India, the Prime Minister said adding now the entire Left front, that has its presence left only in some small pockets in the country, is opposing the CAA and NRC. Senior CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat himself had asked for support for people coming from Bangladesh who were being persecuted on religious grounds.

Modi further said that the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot also had supported citizenship for these refugees during his earlier stint as Chief Minister. He had even asked the Central government to provide better facilities to the Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan.

Taking a dig at those targeting him on the issue of CAA, the Prime Minister said “I challenge those who are spreading lies to investigate all my work and if they see even an iota of discrimination, they are free to inform the public .

When I see the brick and stone in the hands of those opposing CAA, I feel sorry. But when I see the tricolor in the hands of some of them, it reassures me. I’m certain that people who hold the tri-color will raise their voices against the violent protesters and call to bring peace. I want to call upon the people who hold the tri-color to raise their voice against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

The PM said: “Mamta didi has landed at the UN from Kolkata. Until a few years ago, she used to stand in Parliament pleading that infiltrators from Bangladesh be stopped, and seeking help for the refugees who came from there. She used to throw papers in front of the Speaker in Parliament. I want to ask Mamata didi, what has now changed? Why she was spreading false rumors?”

The PM was visibly agitated when he talked about the Police personnel and said they are becoming victims of violence while on duty. They are being killed. After independence, more than 33000 policemen have been martyred for the cause of peace and while providing security to the citizens.

He asked the people not to burn the country’s assets, the poor man’s auto rickshaw, and his hut.

Taking a dig at the main opposition party, the PM said that Congress and its supporters are disturbed and are unable to fathom why PM Modi is respected in the world and especially, in Muslim countries. Afghanistan or Palestine, Saudi Arabia or UAE, Maldives or Bahrain have given India the highest honour, he specifically pointed out.

Referring to the decision to regularise the unauthorised colonies in Delhi, the PM said while he was giving rights to 40 lakh people of Delhi those opposed to him are spreading the lie that he was going to take away their rights.