MP: Hussain downplays Muslim leaders quitting BJP over CAA

Against the backdrop of a string of Muslim leaders quitting the BJP in Madhya Pradesh in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), senior party Leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday said those who wanted to leave need excuses. He said "99.99 per cent" of BJP workers who hail from the minority community support the CAA. Commenting on the ongoing war of words between top Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh, Hussain dubbed Kamal Nath as a "Kamchalau" (stop-gap) chief minister and said the "house of the Congress has caught fire from its own lamp".

The BJP national spokesperson further said a chunk of the minority community workers (as compared to other parties) are with the BJP. "Still, those who have to go only need excuses," the former Union minister said when asked about some Muslim leaders quitting the saffron party in recent past. Hussain said "99.99 per cent" of BJP workers belonging to the minority community support the party's stand on the CAA. "The CAA does not apply to 130 crore citizens of India. There is no threat to citizenship of any Indian by this law," he said.

Referring to senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia threatening to take to the streets if the government failed to meet the demands of guest teachers, Hussain said, "The Congress house has caught fire from its own lamp". The BJP leader termed as "unfortunate" Kamal Nath's statement of not implementing the National Population Register (NPR) in the state. "It has become fashionable for some state governments to make such statements, while the NPR is a normal process to be completed before the Census," he said.

When asked about AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's statement regarding reservation of a seat for Lord Shiva in the inaugural run of Kashi-Mahakal Express, Hussain said issues related to people's faith should not be turned into a controversy. In January, as many as 80 Muslim leaders of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh had resigned from the primary membership of the party in protest over the CAA, calling it a "divisive" measure.

(Image credit: PTI)