Gautam Gambhir defends CAA, says it is neither anti-India nor anti-Muslim

Amid the nationwide protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), BJP MP Gautam Gambhir in support of CAA said that the act is neither Anti-India nor Anti-Muslim. “I would like to appeal to maintain peace. This (Act) is not anti-India or anti-Muslim", said Gambhir adding that the act is about giving citizenship and not about snatching it away from anyone. 

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'Damaging property is not acceptable'

"Earlier I had posted a video on Twitter. In that also I urged people to protest peacefully. The way you are damaging public property is not acceptable. No political party should look at this from a political angle. Youth should not be instigated. Our responsibility is to build their future and not to ruin it. People should not take the law into their hands," Gambhir said. 

Gambhir has received death threats for himself and family and has insisted the DCP of Shahdara district, East Delhi for police protection. "I have been receiving death threats for me and my family from an international number. I request you to file an FIR for the same and ensure safety and security to my family," Gambhir’s letter to DCP read.  

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The 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. The act does not include granting citizenship to Muslims from the three countries as they are the majority there and the act is about giving citizenship to religious minorities suffering persecution. 

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However, there have been nationwide protests claiming the CAA to be anti-Muslim and students from Jamia Millia University, JNU and Aligarh Muslim University had held protests which turned violent wherein the protestors resorted to stone-pelting and damaging public property. Delhi Police has also been slammed across the country for resorting to lathi charge on the students. 

(With ANI inputs)

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