Daijiworld Media Network - Koppal (SP)

Koppal, Dec 20: "There has been widespread opposition in general to Citizenship Ammendment Act (CAA) in north India as a result of which that part of the country is burning. I had concern about the flames of protest spreading to our state and wished that such a situation does not arise in Karnataka. With that in mind, I said that our state should not burn due to protests. It would be wrong to interpret my statement as Karnataka will burn," former minister and MLA U T Khader clarified.

Speaking to media persons at Kushtagi in the district on Thursday December 19, Khader said that as a representative of the people, he had brought to the notice of the chief minster about the feelings of the people in this respect. "The chief minister should have made an effort to gather the opinion of the people in general through the intelligence wing. If the state government's claim that there is no such situation in the state, why have prohibitory orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code been enforced?" he wanted to know.

Khader said that the state intelligence has miserably failed in this issue. He asked the government not to create a sense of fear among the people. "We are prepared for any kind of sacrifice to preserve the constitution authored by Ambedkar and to realize the dream of Mahatma Gandhi. I am ready to go to the gallows if I am awarded that punishment. For us, country comes first," he explained.

Minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary, said that India has accepted the Muslims who treat the country and nationality as supreme. "All the citizens of India are equal. CAA does not pose any problems for the Muslims. No one should say that the act will result in setting fire just to appease another country. This will mislead the society, and the Congress which has been trying to project falsehood as truth, has been misleading the public," he felt.

Former minister, Kagodu Thimmappa, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, implemented CAA to drive Muslims away from the country. "His plan is to rule the country for two more decades by driving away Muslims," he stated.

Former MP and Congress leader V S Ugrappa, noted that prohibitory orders of such a scale have been enforced in Karnataka for the first time in the state's history. He accused the police of manhandling Guha and women who took part in the protest. Yediyurappa's direct threat posed to Congress leaders gives an indication about his motive," he felt.