Opposition slams Narendra Modi for 'fooling nation with lies' about NRC

Sonia Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and other leaders during the 'satyagraha' in New Delhi on Monday. Pic/PTI

New Delhi: Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) continued on Monday across India without any reports of violence. Top Congress leadership sat on a 'Satyagraha for Unity' at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, Rajghat, demanding protection of the rights of people as enshrined in the Constitution.

Several political leaders led protests in Chennai as well, while hundreds continued demonstrations in Bengaluru and Assam. The Opposition also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remark that the BJP government never discussed a nationwide NRC. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said President Ram Nath Kovind had talked about the government's plan to implement NRC across the country in his joint address to Parliament.

"Welcome to the conversation PM Modi, the country has been waiting for you. It's sad that the first time you've addressed the growing unrest in our nation you do so with hate & lies, but alas, what more can we expect from the Divider in Chief," Congress tweeted.

"Saheb speaks in Delhi that there was no discussion on NRC, but in the Jharkhand poll manifesto on November 28, the BJP promised to implement NRC... No harmony between PM and Home Minister? Is there a rift between power and organisation? Or together they are making a fool of the country," Congress's Randeep Surjewala said.

FIR against 31 SP leaders over protest

An FIR has been registered against 31 Samajwadi Party leaders and 150 party workers in Banda for violating Section 144 during anti-CAA protest on December 19, police said on Monday. Meanwhile, the UP police have arrested 46 more people, taking the total arrests in the state since December 10 to 925. In Dibrugarh, Assam, police arrested 55 people for involvement in acts of violence during the stir.

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