The BJP has released an ad to dispel the myths surrounding the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens.

The ad has two young women discussing the provisions of the CAA, especially the controversial ones. "I am against the CAA, as it takes away the citizenship of the Indian Muslims," says a woman. The other woman educates her, saying, "Where does the question of taking away citizenship even arise? The Act gives citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. This was desired by Mahatma Gandhi himself."

The discussion then moves on to the NRC. "Will not NRC discriminate against Indian Muslims? Those Muslims who will not be able to produce documents to prove citizenship will be excluded from the NRC. On the other hand, non-Muslims will find a place in the NRC because the CAA gives them the preference," says the anti-CAA woman, blindly parroting a myth perpetuated by uninformed activists.

At this, the pro-NRC woman says that even non-Muslims will have to prove that they have entered India as persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan. All others are at a par with Indian Muslims and there is no religion-based discrimination.

"Where do the poor of India have documents to prove their citizenship?" asks the critical woman.

"Come on, almost everyone in India has an Aadhar Card, or a Jan Dhan Bank account, or an LPG connection. Some or the other document is there with everyone today. Even if there is no document, the NRC process will provide for a witness provision. Bring a witness with you and find a place in the NRC. The process is the same for Muslims and non-Muslims. The 1971 cut-off was just for the Assam NRC. It's not for the whole of India. Don't bother about that year at all. The all-India NRC will be quite different," says the informed woman.

Modi government’s Citizenship Amendment Act is not what she was told by those who mislead her, learns an anti-CAA protester. pic.twitter.com/A0HpMHtcaB

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 21, 2019