Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Wednesday alleged that women and children were being pushed forward to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, adding that they did not even understand the meaning of the amended legislation, PTI reported.
“Now what have they [opposition parties] done? They started making the women of their houses sit at roads,” the chief minister said at a rally in Kanpur. “The children have been made to sit also. It’s such a big crime that the men are sleeping under the quilt, while the women have been pushed forward and made to sit at various roads. It is shameful.” It is unclear whether he was referring to opposition parties or protestors as “they”.
“The tactic of pushing the women forward is being resorted to,” he added. “Those who do not know what the CAA is are staging sit-ins.”
He claimed men do not have the “courage” to participate in protests as they know their property will be seized if they indulge in vandalism. “If you go and ask anyone as to why are they sitting on a dharna, they will say that the men of the house feel that they have become so incompetent that they cannot do anything, so they want the women to go and sit on the dharna,” Adityanath alleged.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader also attacked the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Left parties. He accused them of doing politics at the cost of the nation. “For them, the country is not important,” Adityanath said. “The Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis are not important. Now, for the Congress, even the Christians are not important. And, they have said the protests will continue against the Citizenship Amendment Act until the ISI agents are given entry in India. This is a shameful statement made by Congress leaders.”
The chief minister said shouting “azadi” slogans amounted to sedition, ANI reported. “If anybody will raise slogans of azadi...it will amount to sedition and government will take strict action,” Adityanath said. “It cannot be accepted. People cannot be allowed to conspire against India from Indian soil.”
Scores of women and children joined the demonstration against the amended citizenship law at at Lucknow’s iconic clock tower last week. The police have been accused of taking away blankets and food meant for protestors. They also allegedly switched off the nearby street lights. The police dismissed the accusations as “rumours” but admitted that “blankets were seized after due process”.
Criminal cases have been filed against protestors for the demonstrations. They have been accused of rioting and unlawful assembly.
For over a month now, hundreds of protestors, mainly women, have also occupied the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch in Delhi to voice their opposition against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Many other protests have also cropped up, multiple of which are being led by women.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!