'There is political design behind Jamia, Shaheen Bagh protests': PM Modi in Delhi's Karkardooma rally

Amid recent controversies over protests in the national capital against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday alleged that there is a political conspiracy behind these protests and linked these to a 'political design' to 'divide India' and 'ruin the harmony of the nation'.

"Be it Seelampur, Jamia or Shaheen Bagh, protests held over the past several days regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Is this just a coincidence? No. This is an experiment," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first election rally for Delhi polls at Karkardooma.

"There is a political design behind all these protests including Jamia and Shaheen Bagh. These protests are a conspiracy to divide India. These protests are going to ruin the harmony of the nation," he asserted.

Further, he lambasted the opposition political parties of siding with these protests to divide the country. Targetting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, PM Modi said, "But AAP and Congress are provoking people. Constitution and tricolor are being kept in front and attention is being diverted from the real conspiracy."

He further asked the people of Delhi if 'these people' (AAP and Congress) deserve to be in power because they had, he said, doubted on the ability of the armed forces during surgical strikes. "These people were doubting the ability of our forces during surgical strikes. Do citizens of Delhi want such people in power? These people are saving those who want to break India into pieces," PM Modi said.

Members of the Opposition have deemed CAA "discriminatory and anti-Constitution" while the Centre has maintained that the new law has no effect on Indian citizens. Recently, two firing incidents took place near Jamia Millia Islamia University.

Massive protests have emerged across the country against the CAA and the NRC.

The new citizenship law promises citizenship to members of 6 non-Muslim communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014.

Critics say that the new law is against the secular nature of the Indian Constitution and clubbed with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) may be misused to strip away some Muslims' citizenship in the country. The BJP, however, has argued that the law has nothing to do with India's Muslims and only helps those who fled religious persecution in the neighbouring countries.

The PM, who is BJP's star campaigner for the Delhi Assembly polls, will address another rally in southwest Delhi's Dwarka on Tuesday. "One rally of the Prime Minister will be held in East Delhi at Karkardooma on February 3. The other rally will be held in Dwarka on February 4," a senior party leader had said.

With less than a week remaining for the Delhi elections, parties have intensified their campaign. BJP has always banked upon PM Modi for state elections. Monday's rally can be seen as a final push to woo the undecided voters.

"The dates have been chosen as the BJP wants to utilise the Prime Minister when the campaign is at its peak," sources quoted by Zee News said. 

Last year in December, Modi began BJP's campaign for Delhi elections in a rally at Ramlila Maidan, where he raised questions on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's governance and its failure to contain the pollution levels in the capital. He also attacked the opposition for spreading misinformation on the recently enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Senior party leaders including Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda have launched an intensive campaign with back to back rallies in the national capital.

Last week, the party released its election manifesto, called the 'Delhi Sankalp Patra' in the presence of Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar, Harsh Vardhan, and other BJP MPs.

The manifesto includes promises on issues like women's safety, better road connectivity, housing and development, and transgender issues. It also promised to sort the issue of unauthorised colonies in the national capital.

The BJP had driven 49 buses across Delhi, campaigning for the elections, and asking the Delhi populace for their suggestion on what to include in the manifesto. It is being said that the strategy had been adopted by the BJP's Delhi unit to better understand the demands that the people of the Union Territory have from their government.

Delhi Assembly elections will be held on February 8 while counting of votes will be conducted on February 11. 

The ruling AAP is locked in a triangular contest with the BJP and the Congress but is favourite to retain the Union Territory. 

The Kejriwal-led AAP had won 67 seats in the 70-member assembly in 2015 assembly elections, defying all expectations. While the party hopes to repeat its performance.