'Violent protests unfortunate and deeply distressing', says PM Modi on CAA stir

In his first reaction to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 16 said that the "violent protests... are unfortunate and deeply distressing".

"Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos," PM Modi tweeted.

Violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act are unfortunate and deeply distressing.

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Debate, discussion and dissent are essential parts of democracy but, never has damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019

Stating that no Indian has "anything to worry regarding this Act", PM Modi said that the CAA does not affect "any citizen of India of any religion".

"This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India," PM Modi said.

"The need of the hour is for all of us to work together for the development of India and the empowerment of every Indian, especially the poor, downtrodden and marginalised. We cannot allow vested interest groups to divide us and create disturbance," PM Modi said.