Narayan Tripathi, controversial BJP MLA from Maihar in Madhya Pradesh, has caused embarrassment to his party again, issuing scathing statements to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The MLA, who had shot to limelight after voting with Congress in the Assembly a few months ago, has said that the Act has led to a civil war like situation in the country.
His stand goes totally against his party, which has been holding pro-CAA rallies and awareness drives across the country including Madhya Pradesh. BJP MP unit has said that they would try to convince Tripathi about the CAA in the same way they are trying to convince others confused about the Act.
The MLA has said that a country can never progress in a civil war like situation and therefore one should desist from issues like CAA. The videos of Tripathi's statements have gone viral. The MLA, who was with the Congress before joining the BJP in 2014, has however made clear that these are his personal views and he would also put them up on party forum.
Tripathi said that issues like unemployment, poverty and illiteracy should be spoken about. “Doing politics of vote by dividing people is not proper at all,” he said.
Tripathi said that one has to be clear that either one can respect the Constitution made by Dr B.R. Ambedkar or tear and throw it away. “The Constitution by Dr Ambedkar is clear that no divide on basis of religion is possible in a secular country and now this divide is being brought about. You can either go with the Constitution or oppose it.”
He said that he is from a village and he was speaking from his experiences of villages. “In villages poor people get flustered just to get an Aadhar card; how can they compile whole lot of documents for citizenship?” he asked.
The MLA added that earlier Muslims in his village would respectfully address him, but in present circumstances they are not even willing to look at him or others. “A village, state or country, where there is situation of civil war can never have peace or prosper. We speak of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (global family), of unity and integrity but divide people on basis of religion. The country cannot move ahead in this way,” Tripathi said.
Chief spokesman of MP BJP, Deepak Vijayvargiya, while speaking to THE WEEK said that there are attempts to confuse people about the CAA, but it is very clear that the CAA is about refugees and not citizens of India. “We are trying to clear the confusions of the people and such confused people could be those close to us. We will explain and convince Tripathi ji about the CAA not once but as many times as required,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Arif Masood has said that Tripathi's DNA is of Congress and he (Tripathi) would always support the Congress whenever necessary. He also said that others in the BJP should learn from Tripathi and oppose the dictatorial attitude of the party and side with what is right.
