eMag_Feb2020_SmartGovernance | Page 4

Point of View | Jay P Gupta Modi riding high on CAA Is the BJP losing supporters after bringing up CAA? The opposition is daring the government on CAA and NRC. Also the opposition which was in high spirits because its initial response to the violent protest unleashed which has been getting response in selected regions or places. But the same opposition is worried that the protest is not spreading nation wide. Also only three of the more than 800 Universities have been supporting their agitations. ABP-C Voter on the the citizenship amendment conducted on 17th to 19th December, found that 62% support CAA and 65% want Pan India NRC. Even among the Muslims 63% opposed the amendment and 35% supported the same. Also in the recent assembly election of Jharkhand, the last three Phases of which happened after the amendment of CAA has not given any change in the voting pattern from that of the first two Phases. In the last three phases, BJP won 17 seats, down 5 from the 22 it won in 2014. Among the seats that voted in the first two phases, BJP’s tally reduced from 17 to 8. Hence BJP lost both before the amendment and after. CAA amendment did not affect the BJP. BJP lost because of other considerations. In Jharkhand BJP secured 2 percent more votes than Congress+JMM alliance. In fact Modi is riding high on CAA. The die hard supporters of Modi have increased, because of his firm stand on the issue. He is not buckling under pressure, making the people have more faith in him. BJP is not losing support after introducing the CAA and NRC. 4 February 2020 | www.smartgovernance.in