The ruling BJP on Monday launched a social media campaign to highlight the features of the new citizenship law, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi posting a video of spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev backing the legislation and the Twitter handle of Modi’s personal website urging people to support the hashtag of “IndiaSupportsCAA”. “Do hear this lucid explanation of aspects relating to CAA and more by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. He provides historical context, brilliantly highlights our culture of brotherhood. He also calls out the misinformation by vested interest groups. #IndiaSupportsCAA,” Modi’s official handle @narendramodi tweeted. The Twitter handle of Modi’s personal website also had a message in support of the CAA. “#IndiaSupportsCAA because CAA is about giving citizenship to persecuted refugees & not about taking anyone’s citizenship away,” the PM tweeted through @narendramodi_in. The post also asked people to share the message. “Check out this hashtag in Your Voice section of Volunteer module on NaMo App for content, graphics, videos & more. Share & show your support for CAA.” #IndiaSupportsCAA because CAA is about giving citizenship to persecuted refugees & not about taking anyone’s citizenship away. Check out this hashtag in Your Voice section of Volunteer module on NaMo App for content, graphics, videos & more. Share & show your support for CAA.. — narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) December 30, 2019 This comes at a time when the BJP is accusing opposition parties of misleading the country over the new law amid nationwide protests against the Act which, according to critics, discriminates on the basis of religion. The BJP has maintained that the law is meant for minorities persecuted because of their faith in three neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Other leaders also joined the campaign. Senior BJP leader and Union minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted, “Spread Facts Not Myth: In the last 6 years, 2830 Pakistani, 912 Afghani & 172 Bangladeshi citizens have been given Indian citizenship. Many of them are from majority community of these countries.” He also posted several tweets, highlighting key aspects of the amended law, and quoted Modi’s comments that it will not affect any Indian citizen adversely. BJP vice president and spokesperson Baijayant Jay Panda tweeted, “Here’s why #IndiaSupportsCAA. does not have any impact on any Indian citizen of any religion. It is humanitarian, fast-tracks rehabilitation of persecuted religious minorities from neighboring theistic nations. It’s a post-partition obligation acknowledged by Gandhi Ji.”
