Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday tried to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by asserting that Modi is not talking to his critics and urged him to select five critics and have a televised question and answer session on CAA so that people can reach their own conclusions on the amended law.

Hoping that the Prime Minister would respond favourably to his suggestion, the veteran leader took to Twitter and wrote, “PM says that CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) is meant to give citizenship, not take it away. Many of us believe that CAA (in conjunction with NPR or NRC) will declare many persons as ‘non-citizens’ and take away citizenship.”

PM says that CAA is meant to give citizenship, not take it away. Many of us believe that CAA (in conjunction with NPR or NRC) will declare many persons as “non-citizens” and take away citizenship.

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— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 13, 2020

The former Finance Minister further said, “PM talks from high platforms to silent audiences and does not take questions. We talk through the media and are willing to take questions from media persons.”

PM talks from high platforms to silent audiences and does not take questions. We talk through the media and are willing to take questions from media persons.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 13, 2020

In yet another tweet Chidambaram said that the PM is not talking to his critics and they do not have an opportunity to talk to him.

PM is not talking to his critics. The critics do not have an opportunity to talk to the PM.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 13, 2020

“The only way out is for the PM to select five of his most articulate critics and have a televised Q and A session with them. Let the people listen to the discussion and reach their conclusions on CAA,” he said in a series of tweets.

The only way out is for the PM to select five of his most articulate critics and have a televised Q and A session with them.

Let the people listen to the discussion and reach their conclusions on CAA.

I sincerely hope PM will respond favourably to this suggestion.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 13, 2020

Chidambaram’s suggestion comes after Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday termed the CAA a “discriminatory and divisive” law whose “sinister” purpose was to divide people on religious lines, and asserted that the NPR (National Population Register) in form and content was “disguised NRC (National Register of Citizens)”.