Muslim Personal Law Board behind CAA violence: Mohsin Raza

Uttar Pradesh Minister for Minority Welfare Mohsin Raza has blamed the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and the Babri Masjid Action Committee for the violence over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

In a conversation with IANS, Raza said that the tactics of the people of the BMAC and the AIMPLB are not working anymore under the BJP government, hence they conspired to loose violence over the CAA.

The minister said that people associated with these two organisations were running their business under the aegis of the previous non-BJP governments.

"Sometimes, they sat on the lap of Akhilesh Yadav (of Samajwadi Party) sometimes went to Congress and got some sort of reward from them. The Babri Action Committee members also 'joins hands' at times with the AIMPLB," the Minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led cabinet said.

Alleging that "these people also have terrorist connections," he said "they have no place in our government".

The minister said that these people try to get their share of rewards by acting as "contractors of Muslims". However, under the BJP's rule, since their personal interests have suffered setbacks, they are angry.

He said the AIMPLB members were also trying to spoil the general atmosphere in the Ayodhya case.

"They are responsible for the violence related to CAA. These people called an 'anti-national' person like Umar Khalid to Lucknow. He was made the spokesperson for the Personal Law Board," Raza said.

"These people are constantly trying to spoil the atmosphere. But the Muslim Personal Law Board has now been exposed. No Muslim will fall for their tricks," he added.

"Earlier, on the Ayodhya issue these people were saying that we will accept the verdict of the Supreme Court. However, their character has changed after the announcement of the verdict. Such people are of double character. These people are re-activating the ideologies of SIMI," the Minister said.

Raza said that many misconceptions among Muslims about the CAA are being spread by the opposition. Efforts are now being made to remove them.

He said that no one will lose the citizenship of this country through the CAA and the new act "just talks about giving citizenship".

He said: "The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress are spreading confusion on CAA. Since most of the people belonging to the Muslim community are uneducated, they soon get swayed. Our government is making people aware of this."

The minister said that he is taking copies of this law to "Maulanas" and other intellectuals.

The copies are also being given to children and teachers in educational institutions.

Raza said Hyderabad MP and MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is also spreading confusion on this issue, as "he runs his shop on the Muslim plank".

He said that those who are creating trouble will not get sympathy but no action will be taken against innocent people. "Those who damage the property of the general public and target the policemen will not be spared," Raza said.

"Till today, minorities have been considered only vote banks. Our government is running many schemes for all minorities, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains and Muslims. They are benefiting from them. In any scheme of the BJP government, there is no room for discrimination."

On the modernisation of madrasas, the Minister said: "We are moving in this direction. The NCERT books are yet to make way into some madrasas. Some people deliberately do not want modernisation of madrasas. The BJP government wants madrasas' children to become doctors and engineers. The government is moving ahead on this."IANS