Cops shouldn't take law into own hands: BSY on arrests

Responding to the detention of senior citizens and academicians, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said police should not take law in their own hands even as he insisted that Karnataka will implement the Citizen (Amendment) Act (CAA).

The chief minister was responding to a question over the detention of historian Ramachandra Guha, hundreds of academicians and students at Town Hall in the city.

"Police should not take law into their own hands for any reason. I will issue instructions right away. Action should be taken only against the anti-social elements, disturbing law and order. No action should be taken against members of the public," he said.

Earlier, reading out a written statement about protest over CAA to the media, the chief minister said vested interests were opposing the Act with political intention. "People of this country are intelligent to understand their political motive. CAA is a national act and is a constitutional provision. There is no question of Karnataka rejecting it. As a member of the federal set up, it is bound by the Constitution," he said.

Yediyurappa said the Act doesn't discriminate between the people based on the religion but it accords citizenship on the basis of their nationality, not on the basis of religion or caste. "I sincerely appeal to all political parties, leaders and people to maintain calm on the issue. CAA is no threat to the people of this country. It is only applied to people from other countries who seek citizenship," he said.