Karnataka CM appeals for peace after 2 reported deaths

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday appealed for peace and calm following violent protests against the CAA across the southern state in which two protestors were killed in police firing at Mangaluru.

"I appeal to the people, political parties and their leaders to maintain peace and calm on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)," the Chief Minister told reporters here after a day-long protest against the new law by hundreds of people, including Left, social, Muslim and students organisations.

Asserting that the CAA was not threat to Ind, Yediyurappa said the amended law was applicable to the persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and Christ who were minorities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and sought citizenship in the country as their ancestors belonged to India.

"The CAA does not discriminate people on the basis of religion. Citizenship is accorded on their nationality and not on community or caste basis," he asserted.

Accusing the opposition parties and their leaders of politicising the issue, he said the CAA was a national law with a constitutional provision.

"As a member of the federal set-up, every state is bound to accept it by the Constitution," he added.

Meanwhile, in a related development, senior state Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that two persons died in Mangaluru police firing on protesters earlier in the day.

"Tragic news in Mangaluru. Two people have died in police firing and two more are critically injured. The ruling BJP is directly responsible for the breakdown of the law and order in the state," tweeted Rao.

Rao blamed the statements and actions of the ruling party and its leaders for causing a provocative environment in the southern state.

( With inputs from IANS )