Chidambaram calls govt 'real tukde gang', responds to Law Min's 'silent majority' remark

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday hit out at Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad after he said that Shaheen Bagh protest is offering a platform to 'Tukde Tukde gang' elements under the garb of opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Chidambaram in a series of tweets said the real 'Tukde Tukde gang' is the "ruling party that is determined to divide India on religious lines."

'The real tukde tukde gang is the ruling party'

The former Finance Minister added that only those who "despise Gandhiji would abuse the protesters at Shaheen Bagh." and Shaheen Bagh "represents the essence" of Mahatma Gandhi. "Mocking the protest at Shaheen Bagh amounts to mocking Ahimsa and Satyagraha," Chidambaram said. 

'Lakhs of people are distressed because...'

Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said that Delhi's Shaheen Bagh protest was emerging to be "a textbook case of a few hundred people trying to suppress the silent majority". Prasad said at a press conference that those trying to fragment India were getting cover at the Shaheen Bagh protest, where the tricolour was being waived.

"It (Shaheen Bagh protest) is offering a platform to 'tukde tukde gang' elements under the garb of opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act," he said, adding that the protest was not just against CAA, but also against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking about the problems arising out of the protests, Prasad said -- "Lakhs of people are distressed because they can not go to office, shops are shut and children are not able to go to school due to roadblocks caused by Shaheen Bagh protesters."

READ | DySP who arrested Chidambaram in INX media case among 28 CBI officers given Prez medals

READ | BJP slams Cong's double standards on Sami, recalls Chidambaram's support for citizenship

Shaheen Bagh protests

For over a month now, women have been at the forefront of the sit-in protest, ever since mid-December, at the Shaheen Bagh area to oppose the contentious Citizenship Amended Act (CAA) and proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). However, frequented by politicians across party line, the BJP has repeatedly accused contenders Congress and AAP of backing Shaheen Bagh protests.

READ | Chidambaram slams Shah, says only those who despise Mahatma would want to 'get rid of Shaheen Bagh'

READ | P Chidambaram asks people to raise the level of protest on Republic Day

(With agency inputs)