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- The video was released by Modi鈥檚 Bharatiya Janata Party on its Twitter handle
NEW DELHI: India鈥檚 ruling party launched a video with animated Muslim characters on social media Monday in a publicity blitz to try to bust 鈥渕yths鈥� around a new citizenship law that has sparked deadly protests.
The law has stoked concerns that Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi鈥檚 government wants to marginalize India鈥檚 Muslim minority.
The short video clip shows two men in traditional Muslim clothing discussing the legislation before concluding that the country can only progress if there is 鈥減eace and brotherhood.鈥�
The video was released by Modi鈥檚 Bharatiya Janata Party on its Twitter handle. On Sunday, Modi said Muslims 鈥渄on鈥檛 need to worry鈥� about the new law.
The ruling right-wing government also carried an advertisement across all national dailies with a 鈥渕yths vs. facts鈥� explainer saying the law was not against India鈥檚 200 million Muslims.
The advert also stated that there were no immediate plans to roll out a nationwide register of citizens, which has stoked fears of Muslims and others unable to prove they are Indian becoming stateless.
Even if the register would be rolled out, 鈥渢he guidelines would be framed such that no Indian citizen would face any harassment whatsoever,鈥� the advertisement read.
The wave of protests across the country marks the biggest challenge to Modi鈥檚 government since sweeping to power in the world鈥檚 largest democracy in 2014.
Further bad news for Modi came on Monday with indications that the BJP was set to be kicked out of office in the eastern state of Jharkhand following elections.
Last month it also lost power in Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, in a major setback.
The citizenship law, passed by Parliament earlier this month, allows people of six religions from Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan an easier path to citizenship. Muslims are excluded, however.
Islamic groups, the opposition and others at home and abroad fear this forms part of Modi鈥檚 aim to remold the country as a Hindu nation, something his government denies.