Cong, JDS misleading people on CAA, NRC: Yediyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday charged the opposition Congress and JDS leaders with trying to mislead the minorities by making false claims and whipping up their emotions over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Citizen of Register (NRC).

"There are misconceptions about the two (CAA and NRC) and opposition leaders, including Siddaramaiah (Congress) and H D Kumaraswamy (JDS), are trying to mislead the people. They are trying to whip up the emotions of the innocent minorities," he said.

Yediyurappa was addressing reporters on the CAA and NRC issue that has triggered widespread protests across the country, including Karnataka. Asserting that the opposition to CAA and proposed NRC have no base and fears on the issue were unfounded, the senior BJP leader said they would not cause any harm to any Indian.

"My appeal to the people is that CAA and NRC are nationalistic laws and they will not cause harm to any Indian. CAA and NRC are in tune with the Constitution and its secular values," he said. Hitting out at Kumaraswamy over his comments against the police firing in Mangaluru that left two people dead on Thursday after the protests there turned violent, the chief minister said the JDS leader should know the facts about the incidents.

Police opened fire when a mob tried to storm a police station and loot the arms, he said. Slamming Kumaraswamy for his statement that the mob in Mangaluru had not gathered to wage a war, Yediyurappa sought to know whether the violation of prohibitory orders was not a war against the constitution and the law.

"When the mob tried to disturb the peace and indulged in arson and looting should the police have to keep quiet? Are police not duty-bound to protect the innocents and property?" he said. The opposition leaders were showing disrespect to the Constitution and the Parliament which had passed the citizenship amendment bill, he charged.