Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur flies kite `in support of CAA'

BJP MP Pragya Thakur flew a kite with a message in support of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in Bhopal on Wednesday. It was a "slap" on the face of "anti-nationals" who are opposing the law, the contentious Bhopal MP and terror accused said.

The message on the kite mentioned the CAA, the scrapping of Article 370 and Ram Temple. "This symbolises the victory of our country flying high. I am sending out best wishes on Makar Sankranti to the countrymen," Thakur told reporters after flying the kite at Rivera Town area here. "This is in support of the CAA and a slap on the face for anti-nationals," she added.

"The Act will stay and prevail. It is in the country's interest," Thakur said when asked about Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath's statement that it would not be implemented in the state. "I am flying the kite for the victory of the laws enacted in 2019. And I am rejoicing," a smiling Thakur said.

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Pro and anti CAA kites fight

While pro and anti CAA camps continue to hold their respective grounds, the ideological battle between the two groups was fought in the sky literally with kites on Tuesday in Gujarat on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. The skies in the western state virtually turned into a battleground with kite flyers competing to knock out each other's kites bearing messages like 'We Support CAA' and 'I Am Against CAA'.

They comprised local leaders and supporters of the ruling BJP and opposition Congress as well as common people and members of civil society. Kites with the messages for and against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) printed on them were distributed in thousands in the state, where kite-flying is the main takeaway of the Makar Sankranti celebrations. Gujarat Police on Tuesday allegedly entered the Gujarat Vidyapith in Ahmedabad to disrupt the protest planned by students against CAA. Last month, 81 people including students were detained for protesting against CAA near Gujarat University.

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The kites with messages like 'India Against CAA', 'No NPR, No NCR', 'Save Constitution, Save India', 'Hindu-Muslim Bhai Bhai, NRC-CAA Bye Bye' were distributed by members of civil society among students and common people. Ruling BJP seems to also have used the occasion to spread a message in support of the new citizenship law that has stirred politics in the country in a major way. A BJP leader from Rajkot said that he had distributed 50,000 kites with messages 'We Support CAA' in that city. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani flew one such kite with a pro-CAA message from the rooftop of a residential society at Khokhra locality in Ahmedabad.

(With PTI inputs)