Amid the countrywide protests against the new citizenship law, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the launch of the party's election campaign to launch a fierce attack on his critics, challenging them to "lay bare" before the country if any of his policies discriminated between people. "Stand up and respect parliament, respect the government elected by the people," he exhorted them from Delhi's Ram Lila Maidan, against the backdrop of the majestic Red Fort.

At the outset of his address - meant to launch the party's election campaign - the Prime Minister set the tone with a new slogan. "Unity in diversity is India's specialty,"

Accusing his critics of being upset his return to power, he said, "I want to tell such people that if you dislike the mandate that I got then abuse Modi and go against Modi. But stop burning public property and destroying a poor man's auto".

Since the amended law was passed on December 11, protests have swept the country. The biggest of these was held on Thursday, when 13 cities across India had raised voice, some defying police orders and others - prohibitory orders banning large gatherings. A string of protests have been planned as well today across Delhi and Bengaluru.

The BJP has accused the opposition parties, especially the Congress, of engineering the protests. The Prime Minister, who on an earlier occasion said those protesting against the law can be "identified by their clothes", today ripped into the critics.

"I want to ask the liars -- that when we legalised the unauthorised colonies, did we ask them their religion or which party you support? Did we ask you for evidence of 1975 or 1980? Did we ask for any proof? The Centre's help was received by the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, everybody. Does the smell of discrimination come anywhere? Then lay it out open before the nation.

The government, he said, had never asked or anyone's religion when it started the biggest health scheme in the country that helped 50 crore people with free treatment.

"Why is this conspiracy to shame India internationally going on? And I want to say if you don't like it, then abuse Modi and hate Modi... but don't burn people's property... and the stones they're throwing on police... I want to ask them... when police does their duty, they came under attack,"

The Congress and its allies are spreading lies that Muslims will be sent to detention centres, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, attacking his opponents amid countrywide protests over the new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens or NRC.

"Congress and its allies - some Urban Naxals - are spreading rumors that all Muslims will be sent to detention center. At least value your education... at least read once about the Citizenship Amendment Act. It's a lie and is dividing the nation," PM Modi said at a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan where he launched the BJP's poll campaign for the assembly elections in Delhi next year.

Urging the youth of the country to "read the Citizenship Act in detail and not to fall prey to the rumors," he further said,"It is shocking to see the kind of lies that are being spread. Some people are even saying that the CAB is against the poor people of the country."

The amended law will only apply to the people who have been living in India for several years and "no new refugees will benefit", PM Modi assured in his hour-long address. "Former PM Manmohan Singh said in the parliament that we should provide citizenship to the refugees coming from Bangladesh who have been religiously persecuted," he added.

Since the amended law was passed on December 11, protests have swept the country. The biggest of these was held on Thursday, when 13 cities across India had raised voice, some defying police orders and others - prohibitory orders banning large gatherings. A string of protests have been planned as well today across Delhi and Bengaluru.

The BJP has accused the opposition parties, especially the Congress, of engineering the protests. The Prime Minister, who on an earlier occasion said those protesting against the law can be "identified by their clothes", today ripped into the critics.