Sonia demands high-powered commission to probe anti-CAA protest incidents

New Delhi: Terming the Citizenship Amendment Act as “discriminatory and divisive law”, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the BJP-led government of turning Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as “police states” and demanded setting up a comprehensive high-powered commission to probe incidents connected with the anti-CAA protests and justice to affected persons.

Addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) here, Gandhi also accused Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “making provocative statements”. She said the Citizenship Amendment Act, which was passed “amidst strong protest” in the winter session of Parliament was a big issue before the party.

“The CAA is a discriminatory and divisive law. The sinister purpose of the law is clear to every patriotic, tolerant and secular Indian, it is to divide the Indian people on religious lines. Thousands of young men and women, especially students, have realized the grave harm the CAA implementation will cause,” she said.

Gandhi said the young men and women have taken to the streets “braving the cold as well as the police brutalities” and the party was inspired by their struggle.

“I salute their courage, their abiding faith in the values of the Constitution of India, and their determination to defend and protect those values. We are inspired by their struggle,” she said.

Gandhi said it is clear that the government is digging in its heels as the students’ protest gains momentum.

“Not a day passes without the Home Minister, and on some days the Prime Minister himself, making provocative statements. The CWC must categorically declare that millions of Congress workers will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of India in their struggle for equality, equal protection of the laws, justice, and dignity,” she said.

“The situation in some states is alarming, turning the states into police states, notably in Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Delhi,” she said.

Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi & members of the Congress Working Committee gather for a meeting to discuss the growing tensions in the country, the grave economic situation & other issues plaguing the nation. pic.twitter.com/YqNiyCcwKW

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 11, 2020

Gandhi said the party was “appalled by the police excesses and use of brute force in many towns of UP, in Jamia Millia, in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Delhi University, Gujarat University, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru”.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to those who were injured. We have no faith that either the UP State government or the LG of Delhi will bring the culprits to justice. We demand that a comprehensive high-powered Commission should be constituted to enquire into the incidents connected with the anti-CAA protests and justice to the affected persons,” she said. (ANI)