A registration campaign will be launched for refugees seeking Indian citizenship by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, December 26 along with a month-long campaign from the same day. The idea behind this campaign is to clear out misinformation being spread about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Some refugees at a camp.
Refugees at a camp. IANS

UP BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh said that the opposition has been spreading canards about the citizenship act which has fuelled the recent violence in the state on the issue.

Our campaign will be held from December 26 to January 25 across the state to apprise people of the facts of CAA. Party workers will reach out to people in the rural interiors and clear misconceptions if any - Swatantra Dev Singh, UP BJP president

UP BJP to assure Muslims they won't be affected

Singh said that CAA was essentially for persecuted minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. "We will also register refugees who are awaiting Indian citizenship," he said and added that the party will also reach out to Muslims and assure them that they will not be affected by the CAA.

CAB protest
However, the acts will "go against such anti-national elements" who want to disrupt peace and tranquillity in the country.Twitter

The BJP has already asked its MPs to identify and approach refugees from neighbouring countries living there and help them get citizenship under the new Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. While 62 seats in Uttar Pradesh would be covered by its members of Parliament, for many of the remaining seats, party office bearers, MLAs and other leaders will be pressed into service.

White Paper on Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019

The idea is to deflate the campaign starred by the opposition parties on CAA which has led to students' protests across the country. Sources said that the BJP has also prepared a White Paper on Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 - with special stress on West Bengal and Assam and the stand taken by various political parties over the years.

Citizenship amendment bill protest
Demonstrators display placards during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill.Reuters

This will be distributed widely and is being translated into regional languages to help convey the message more effectively. It has a chapter on the Jawaharlal Nehru-Liaquat Ali pact signed in 1950 and how Pakistan flouted this deal by not protecting the rights of minorities living there. Meanwhile, after the protests in Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and Nadwa University in Lucknow turned violent, the issue has given the BJP an opportunity to polarise people the issue.