Modi government should do DNA test on all: Maharashtra Minister takes sarcastic jibe at BJP over CAA
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad suggested the Narendra Modi government to carry out DNA test on all the people if it was serious about identifying the original residents of India for the NRC-CAA exercise.
A vocal critic of the amended citizenship law, the NCP leader is campaigning against the CAA and the NRC across the western state.
“In India, there are several communities like tribals and gypsies who are always on the move in search of livelihood. In that case, how will they prove their citizenship if they do not have the documents like Aadhaar, PAN or passport?” he told this reporter, after a man with Right-wing leaning targeted the NCP leader for his stand on the NRC-CAA.
“We are against the tyranny and dictatorship of the government. The Act should be immediately withdrawn else anger of the people will grow day-by-day,” Awhad said, adding that if the government is really serious about screening citizens, then it should start taking DNA test of all Indians.
“There are many migrated populations from Eurasia – the part between Russia and Asia in India. They are called Aryan. So these populations should be sent back to Eurasia after their screening and DNA test,” Awhad said, taking a jibe at the central government.
This is not the first time that Awhad has made his anti-CAA stand known. Earlier, he had at a rally in Thane claimed that ancestors of the people sitting in power in Delhi were appeasing the Britishers when his ancestors were embracing the noose shouting slogans of Inquilab Zindabad.
“When your forefathers were surrendering to the British rulers, my ancestors were embracing the noose shouting slogans of Inquilab Zindabad,” he had said at the rally which was held against the new citizenship law.
Meanwhile, BJP ex-MP Kirit Somaiya said that the Maharashtra minister wants to divert the attention from the real issue by asking the Centre to conduct the DNA test of each and every citizen of India.
“There is a confusion among the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. One is supporting, while another is opposing... The Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena should clear their position first over the CAA and the NRC. Then, we will comment on (our views over) conducting the DNA test and on the people from Eurasia,” Somaiya said.
Controversies galore
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut claimed that former prime minister Indira Gandhi used to meet yesteryear don Karim Lala. Later, Raut withdrew his statement after the Congress expressed displeasure.
PWD minister Ashok Chavan asserted Cong chief Sonia Gandhi was against joining ranks with the Shiv Sena. Sonia wanted that the party gets in writing from the Sena that the government would work within the ambit of the Constitution, he added.
Former CM Prithviraj Chavan claimed the Sena offered a proposal to the Congress in 2014 to form the government in Maharashtra. But a consensus evaded the Congress, he said.
Housing minister Jitendra Awhad said Indira Gandhi tried to “throttle” democracy by imposing the Emergency. After Ashok Chavan warned of a befitting reply, Awhad released a video saying his statements were wrongly interpreted.