PM Should Select 5 Critics, Hold Televised Session On CAA With Them: Chidambaram

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to select five critics and have a televised question and answer session on CAA so that people can reach their own conclusions on the amended citizenship law. In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said, “PM says that CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) is meant to give citizenship, not take it away. Many of us believe that CAA (in conjunction with NPR or NRC) will declare many persons as ‘non-citizens’ and take away citizenship.”

“PM talks from high platforms to silent audiences and does not take questions. We talk through the media and are willing to take questions from media persons,” the former home minister said.

The prime minister is not talking to his critics and they do not have an opportunity to talk to him, Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.

“The only way out is for the PM to select five of his most articulate critics and have a televised Q and A session with them. Let the people listen to the discussion and reach their conclusions on CAA,” he said.

What PM Modi said on CAA

On Sunday, strongly defending the new citizenship law, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the dispute that has arisen over it has made the world aware of persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan. He, however, deplored that a section of the youth is being “misguided” over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which is aimed at giving and not taking away anybody’s citizenship rights.

“CAA is not about taking away citizenship, it is about giving citizenship. Today, on National Youth Day, I would like to tell this to the youngsters of India, West Bengal, North East that this is not an overnight law for giving citizenship.

“We must all know that any person of any religion from any country of the world who believes in India and its Constitution can apply for Indian citizenship through due process. There’s no problem in that,” he told a gathering at Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramkrishna Mission.

PM Modi said that some people with political interests are deliberately spreading rumours about the new citizenship law.