New Delhi: The BJP leadership on television channels may have been assuring Indian minorities that they need not fear the amended Citizenship Amendment Bill and the subsequent National Register of Citizens (NRC), but a senior BJP minister in Karnataka on Thursday outright threatened protesting Muslims of facing Gujarat-like violence if they continue to dissent.
Known for his communal and provocative statements, Karnataka culture minister and BJP senior leader C.T. Ravi said, “People have given us a mandate for this reason. People who are protesting (against the CAA) are anti-democratic and against the constitution.”
He was responding to Congress MLA U.T. Khader’s statement that he would not register in NRC because it is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Warning the protesters, Ravi added, “People with the mentality of U.T. Khader did the acts in Godhra (train burning incident). People with his mentality burnt the karsevaks in Godhra. But if we start responding, they have seen what happened.”
“In case he (Khader) has forgotten, let him recall what happened. The majority community is being patient. This does not mean that you can provoke people,” he said.
“People have given us a mandate for this reason. Those who are protesting (against the CAA) are anti-democratic and against the constitution. We will not be scared of their threats. Are we the Congress high command to be scared of their threats,” he told the media, adding that CAA was a part of the BJP’s manifesto.
He even wrongly asserted that Khader and the Congress party have been saying that everyone who comes from Pakistan will be given citizenship.
“We are prepared to do that also but it should become ‘Akhand Bharat’ first. Then we will give citizenship to everyone.
“Khader’s citizenship will remain intact but if he brings his relatives from Pakistan, we will not give them citizenship. He may have the view that this country should be made Pakistan but we will not allow India to become Pakistan. If the majority takes to the streets, imagine what your situation will be. Don’t test the patience of the majority,” he warned.
Ravi is a four-time legislator from Chiikamagaluru assembly seat of Karnataka. He has been making openly communal statements against Muslims, and has been at the forefront of Hindutva movement in coastal Karnataka.
Khader is the only Congress MLA to have won from Dakshina Kannada. Out of the eight seats in the region, BJP won seven.