The BJP government doesn't want women of this country to be part of the decision-making process, said Congress leader Ragini Nayak. "Why hasn't the Women's Reservation Bill been passed yet?" she asked, adding that even AAP didn't have any woman member in its highest decision-making body.
Hitting out at Congress, Patra expressed surprise that Congress was considering its performances in the state elections of Maharashtra and Jharkhand as satisfying. "They came fourth in Maharashtra among the four major parties which were contesting the polls. They somehow managed to be part of the government. They are like the fourth pillar of Indian politics," said Patra.
While speaking on India TV's day-long mega conclave Chunav Manch, BJP leader Sambit Patra attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for going back on his promises.
Is it right to stand with traitor like Sharjeel Imam, asks Sambit Patra
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, asking how many more times will he be launched in politics.
"The protestors in Shaheen Bagh want the government to lathicharge them so they could go to the US and tell them that Indian Muslims are being mistreated by the Modi government," said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.
BJP spokesperson took potshots at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, questioning how was he able to manage to fulfil all his poll promises in the last six months when he had been claiming that Centre didn't allow him to work for the first four and a half years. "Kejriwal was either lying back then or he is lying now. That, however, doesn't matter much, as Kejriwal and lying are now synonymous," said Patra.
Congress leader Rina Dhaka opined during a panel discussion that the mindset of the society had undergone a major change after the protestors that ensued the gang-rape and murder of paramedic student, or Nirbhaya, on Dec 16, 2012. "Earlier, people used to call women names. But there is more respect towards women on the streets of Delhi now," she said.
Central and state governments need to work on Delhi pollution problem: Dr Harsh Mahajan
The union minister said that naysayers of the CAA and NRC must believe what the PM said about the proposed register at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi last month. "The PM has categorically said that there hasn't been a formal discussion on the NRC yet. Everyone should believe him," he said, answering queries from a Shaheen Bagh protest organiser whether there was a sense of confusion on the NRC between home minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dr Harsh Mahajan from the BJP, Rina Dhaka of Congress and Amod Kanth from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) debated the issues that Delhi still faces. "Traffic is a major issue that we are facing," said Congress' Rina Dhaka.
In a major statement, union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the collective voice of a few thousand protestors cannot be allowed to suppress the miseries of lakhs of people who are facing traffic disruptions and other difficulties due to the ongoing agitation at Shaheen Bagh
"There will be a proper process that will be followed on the NPR when it is rolled out," he said, adding that opposition fears on the National Population Register (NPR) were completely unfounded. "The last Census exercise took place in 2011. We need to update it," he said.
Even Ashok Gehlot demanded CAA in a letter to me, reveals Ravi Shankar Prasad The union law minister revealed that Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot had written to him demanding the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Notably, the Rajasthan assembly passed a resolution against the CAA, one of the four Indian states to do so.
Talking about the need to bring in separate legislation for persecuted minorities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the union law minister said that the fears of persecution of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains and Buddhists in the three countries were very real. "I don't want to get into the question whether the persecution of these minorities is right or wrong. The fact is that they are being persecuted," he said.
Speaking on the apprehensions around the Citizenship Amendment Act, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterated the government's stand that the new law doesn't take away the citizenship of any Indian. "Muslims have made the same contribution to the country as Hindus," the minister said.
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