Protests against citizenship law 'condemnable act by pseudo-secularist vested interests': VHP

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday alleged violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act were "condemnable act by pseudo-secularist vested interests". In a statement, VHP international secretary-general Milind Parande said there was no harm in giving refuge in India to refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan fleeing religious persecution there.

He alleged that the protests were an "anti-national motivated" act. "In spite of this logic of national interest, violent demonstrations being carried out by some pseudo-secularists and self-seeking political parties by confusing, misleading and inciting the people under the policy of minority appeasement," he said.

Parande appealed to state governments to take strict action against all "misguided frenzied elements" and stop any kind of violence and save life, individual and national property. "It is extremely unfortunate that the governments of some states, opposing the country's Citizenship Amendment Act passed by the Parliament and validated by the President of the country, remain only silent spectators in these violent demonstrations, whereas, constitutionally everyone should come forward to implement the Act!" it said.

Protestors torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends' Colony near Jamia University during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act, leaving six cops and two firemen injured, officials said. An uneasy calm prevailed in Assam but West Bengal plunged deeper into chaos on Sunday over the new citizenship law with incidents of arson and loot reported from several parts of the country.

Parande also criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on V D Savarkar. Gandhi's remarks were "an absolutely condemnable and unforgivable act", he said. Addressing a Congress rally in Delhi on Saturday, Gandhi rejected the BJP's demand for an apology for his "rape in India" barb, and added that his name was Rahul Gandhi, not "Rahul Savarkar", and he will never apologize for speaking the truth.

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