Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked the citizenship law protestors in Uttar Pradesh to not fall for rumours during the ongoing demonstration in the state against the newly rolled out legislation.
"I would like to appeal to those involved in the violence and destruction of property to introspect. Wouldn't the property they are damaging be of use to their future generations," the PM said, addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Atal Bihari Medical University on the 95th birth anniversary of the former PM in Lucknow.
"Is it the right way to go about things. Isn't protecting the country's property the responsibility of the citizens," the PM asked.
Better roads, transport and sewer are our rights, but it's our duty to protect them as well. Quality education is our right but safety of those educational institutions and respect for teachers are our duties. A secure atmosphere is our right, but it's also the duty of citizens to respect the work of police," the PM said in his appeal to Uttar Pradesh's "youth."
At least 17 deaths have been reported from country's most populous state in the ongoing protests against the citizenship law, the most in any state.
In a rather drastic redressal measure, the state government has ordered the confiscation of properties of those found involved in violence. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath warned last week the authorities would "seize" properties of those found perpetrating violence.
According to various reports, the local authorities have identified 'miscreants" in Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Lucknow and latest in Rampur. Press Trust of India reported on Tuesday that the district administration of Rampur has identified 28 protestors whose properties they would seize for causing vandalism during the protests. Similarly, reports suggest that the district administration in communally sensitive Muzaffarnagar have confiscated 67 properties of the alleged protestors.
