No anti-CAA protests in Kashmir shows approval for Centre's policies: Senior BJP leader

Amidst a 5-month long internet shutdown in the Kashmir valley, a senior BJP leader has claimed that Kashmiris not protesting against CAA is a sign that the people in Kashmir approve of the Centre's policies.

Srinagar: A senior BJP leader on Monday said the fact that there were no anti-CAA protests in Kashmir shows that the people here approved of the Centre's policies.

"There were no protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Kashmir which is an approval of the people in the Valley for the policies of the central government," former minister Sunil Sharma, who is BJP in-charge for Kashmir, told reporters.

He claimed that the people of the Valley were "satisfied" with the decisions taken by the Centre on the national interest.

Interestingly, it was the BJP govt who put in place curfews, sec 144 and an internet shutdown in the valley fearing a backlash of its move to scrap Article 370 of the Indian constitution which gave the former state a special status. The govt has continued the internet blocade in the valley on the pretense of national security.

In an apparent reference to the top leadership of the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, Sharma said those leaders who could have instigated protests are under detention.

Asked if a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is part of the BJP manifesto, will be implemented, he said there was no decision taken on it yet.

"It is a decision to be taken by the Union Cabinet," he added.

Sham Lal Sharma, another BJP leader, said the CAA was an act that will grant citizenship to the oppressed minorities from the neighbouring countries and there was no provision for revoking anyone's citizenship.