Citizenship Act: BJP plans meetings to bust ‘myths’

It has drawn up an elaborate exercise to hold workshops for leaders and spokespersons, as well as its social media team members, at various cities.

Students and artistes at a hunger strike in Guwahati on December 13, 2019.

The BJP has decided to hold programmes across the country to bust “myths” around the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill cleared by Parliament in the winter session.

It has drawn up an elaborate exercise to hold workshops for leaders and spokespersons, as well as its social media team members, at various cities. Thereafter a more elaborate programme of meetings will be drawn up.

Workshops for leaders

The workshops will be held between December 14 and 18 in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Guwahati. Apart from senior leaders, two party workers from the media and social media cells are expected to attend each workshop.

The BJP did the same after the government diluted Article 370 of the Constitution that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, mobilising leaders and workers and holding nearly 100 meetings across the country.

The protests that have followed the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Assam and the northeastern region, as well as in Delhi by students of the Jamia Millia Islamia, have prompted the party to act. Party leaders say the decision to go ahead with the legislation has to be explained to party workers and the people at large. “We can’t depend on the media alone to build the narrative,” a senior leader said.