CM Yogi Adityanath appeals for peace, says don’t heed rumours

LUCKNOW: With violent protests raging for the second day on Friday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to people to not fall for rumours and be misled on the new citizenship law. “It’s the responsibility of the Uttar Pradesh government to provide security to all citizens,” the CM said, appealing for peace. In all at least 11 people died during protests in the state since Thursday.
The chief minister said: “People should not heed rumours or be incited by mischievous elements.The Prime Minister has clarified CAA is not against any community, caste or religion, but guarantees security to all citizens. This kind of violence is in defiance of the law of the land.” He said anti-social and anti-national elements who do not want peace in country were behind the violence.
As the fire spread to more districts on Friday, the chief minister directed police to identify people who were fuelling rumours on CAA and indulging in violence. He reiterated the government will identify rioters from video footage and confiscate their assets to compensate for destruction of public property.
Hours after Congress released a video of its president Sonia Gandhi rejecting the CAA and condemning the police action against protesters, Yogi Adityanath called the speeches by Congress and SP leaders as “unfortunate”. He accused them of repeatedly misleading people on the new citizenship law for what he described as “their narrow political gains”.