BJP MLA's threat to minority community: 'We're 80%, You're 15%'

A Karnataka BJP leader has warned protesters against opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, asking them to consider what would happen if members of the majority community hit the streets against them.

"Be careful because we are 80 per cent of the population while you are just 15 per cent. You are just a minority, and I want you to think what will happen if the majority comes out on the streets against you all," BJP MLA Somashekar Reddy said in an apparent reference to the Muslim community at a rally in North Karnataka's Ballari on Friday.

Reddy also claimed that Bengaluru South MP Tejashwi Surya was right in terming those opposing the controversial law as puncturewallahs.

"Tejashwi Surya spoke correctly. Most of those protesters are puncturewallahs and illiterates who believe whatever is said to them," he said, claiming that the opposition Congress was "polluting" their minds.

The Ballari MLA said that protesters who destroy public property in Karnataka will be taught the "same lesson" as the one provided to their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh.

"We are Indians, and we will teach you the same way the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is teaching those who destroy public property in his state.

It is good if those protesting the CAA are shot, but do come to a Hindu doctor if you are injured. He will treat your wound," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

BJP MP Uday Pratap Singh said that President's Rule can be imposed in States who are opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The lawmaker said that the President would have to exercise his powers under Article 356 of the Constitution to dismiss governments if they do not implement the CAA.

Several states including Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Kerala have opposed the law, saying that they would not implement it. Kerala went to the extent to pass a resolution from the Assembly against the law.

A sessions court in Lucknow on Saturday granted bail to activist and Congress worker Sadaf Jafar, former IPS officer SR Darapuri, and 10 others in connection with violence during protests against the CAA in UP last month.

According to the order, the Uttar Pradesh Police failed to present any direct evidence against Jafar, Darapuri and the others for their role in vandalism and arson during the protests.

Jafar was arrested on December 19 while she was live on Facebook from the spot where protests against the amended citizenship law had gone violent. Police had said she was arrested for her involvement in clashes.

Harjot Singh, Jafar's lawyer, expressed gratitude to the court that granted bail on Saturday since it would remain closed the next day. "Hopefully Sadaf will be able to walk out of jail on Monday.

The FIR registered was generic and more than 40 people were implicated in serious sections like 307 (attempted murder). Subsequently, the police failed to prove any charges," said Singh.

Asserting that the CAA was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir the day it was passed by the parliament, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said the government's next move would be regarding the deportation of Rohingya refugees as they will not be able to secure citizenship under the new law.

He demanded a probe into how the Rohingyas reached and settled down in the northern-most belt of Jammu after passing through several states from Bengal.

They do not belong to the six (religious) minorities (who will be given citizenship under the new law). They do not belong to any of the three (neighbouring) countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan)," he said, adding that the Rohingyas came to the country from Myanmar and hence, they would have to go back.

A student from Bengal has demanded an apology from Union Minister Babul Supriyo who threatened to "pack him off to to his own country" after the student made some comments on the minister's official Facebook page.

Mustafizur Rahman said the BJP leader "should apologise in front of all the Indians" for targeting him because he has a Muslim name.

In a Facebook post, the 49-year-old leader on December 26 had criticised a gold medalist at the Jadavpur University who tore a copy of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act during her convocation event as a mark of protest.

He had made a remark on the educational qualifications of the student - Debosmita Choudhury - in the post.

Mustafizur Rahman, a student from Bengal's Birbhum, commented on the post the next day, targeting Supriyo and his colleague and BJP Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh.

"Babul da, how educated are you and your mentor (state president) Dilip Ghosh who can take out gold from a cow," he said, referring to controversy involving Ghosh.

The Bengal BJP chief had made a bizarre comment on cows in November as he said: "Our desi (Indian) cows have a special characteristic.

There is gold mixed in their milk and that is why their milk is golden. There is a blood vessel that helps produce gold with the help of sunlight."

Responding to the student's attack, Supriyo shot back and wrote a reply in Bengali: "Mustafizur Rahaman let me first pack you off to your country... then will send you the reply in a post card."

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma hit out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Govind Chaudhary saying that during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the protesters tried to set ablaze policemen in Meerut but the opposition has not shown any concern.