Pak militants, SIMI activists behind CAA violence: MP

Pakistan-backed militants and activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were behind the violence in different parts of the country during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), BJP MP Shankar Lalwani claimed on Tuesday.

The Lok Sabha member from Indore said students were not involved in the violence during the anti-CAA protests in Delhi and accused the Congress of speaking Pakistans language over the emotive issue.

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He was speaking to reporters here after taking part in a protest organised by the BJP demanding early implementation of the CAA in the Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh.

"On the basis of inputs received by the Union home ministry, I think Pakistan-supported terrorists and activists of SIMI were behind the violent protests against the CAA," Lalwani said.

He demanded strong action against those engaging in violence.

"We saw that students were not involved in the anti- CAA violence in Delhi. People behind such incidents want to vitiate the country's atmosphere by creating chaos. There should be strong action against such people," the MP said.

Allaying fears about the controversial legislation, which provides Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, he said the law will not harm any legitimate citizen.

The CAA is not going to harm any legitimate citizen of minority communities in the country. But the Congress is deliberately creating confusion and speaking Pakistans language," the BJP leader said.

BJP workers led by Lalwani also submitted a memorandum, addressed to Governor Lalji Tandon, to the district administration, demanding early implementation of the CAA in the state.

Lalwani, the only Sindhi community member in the current Lok Sabha, claimed that about 10,000 Hindu refugees from Pakistan living in Indore would be deprived of Indian citizenship if the CAA was not implemented.

He also informed that BJPs working president J P Nadda is likely to attend an event being organised in the city on Sunday in support of the amended Citizenship Act.