New Delhi: Hindu, Sikh refugees stage protest near Kejriwal’s house

New Delhi : Hindu and Sikh refugees living in various parts of Delhi staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence here on Thursday, demanding an apology from him over his statements against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

The protesters assembled near the Chandgiram Akhara and attempted to march towards Kejriwal’s bungalow, but were stopped by police.

“The Narendra Modi government is giving us citizenship while Kejriwal is asking who will give us jobs and houses. He does not understand our pain,” said Panjuram, one of the protesters. The protesters said Kejriwal should withdraw his statements against the CAA and refugees and tender an apology. Hindu and Sikh refugees living in Rohini, Adarsh Nagar, near Signature Bridge and Majnu ka Tilla took part in the protest.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to settle poor people hailing from minority communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the country through the CAA and create a vote bank for itself. He also alleged that those coming from Pakistan and Bangladesh and settling here will be given jobs and houses and that, in turn, will affect the locals.

The Centre implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 on Monday, paving the way for grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.