CAA: “Won’t Result In Minorities Losing Their Citizenship”: Amit Shah
BHUBANESWAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused opposition parties of inciting communal riots over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by spreading “misinformation” that Muslims will lose their citizenship because of the new law.
“Opposition parties are creating disturbances and riots. They are spreading violence,” Amit Shah said. Over 40 people died in the Delhi violence this week. Amit Shah accused Opposition parties of inciting communal riots over the CAA by spreading “misinformation” that Muslims will lose their citizenship because of the new law.
He also extolled Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing important issues relating to “national security and sensibilities,” including abrogation of provisions of Article 370, CAA and the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.
“Opposition parties are spreading misinformation that Muslims will lose their Indian citizenship because of the CAA. They are instigating people and fomenting riots,” he told a pro-CAA BJP rally in Bhubaneswar.
“I have said this before and repeating it now that nobody, no Indian Muslim will lose their citizenship because of the CAA. This law is for granting citizenship to religious minorities that have been persecuted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It’s not intended to take away anyone’s citizenship”.
Amit Shah was in Bhubaneswar, Odisha attending the 24th zonal conference of east zone. Amit Shah said, “Modi ji formed Ram Mandir Trust, Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir, citizenship law has also been amended, he addressed important issues relating to national security and sensibilities.”
“Earlier, top leader of the Congress had too promised citizenship to Sikhs and many other communities, we have just taken it further,” Amit Shah said. Amit Shah on Friday accused the opposition of lying in its criticism of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying the law that has triggered deadly protests across the country does not intend to strip anyone’s citizenship.
“BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), SP (Sawajwadi Party), Communist, Congress and Mamata Didi are against the CAA because they say minorities will lose their citizenship. Why are they lying? CAA is a law to give citizenship, it is not meant to take anyone’s citizenship away,” Mr Shah said at a rally in Bhubaneswar.
Making religion a test of Indian nationality for the first time, the CAA promises citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Mr Shah and the BJP government at the centre have maintained that the law only intends to help those who have faced religious persecution in the neighbouring countries. “Shouldn’t they get Indian citizenship? Shouldn’t their human rights be protected?” Mr Shah asked the audience.
Opposition parties allege that combined with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), the CAA can be used to target only Muslims who do not have the documents necessary to prove their citizenship. On Friday, Mr Shah said the opposition parties were inciting riots through a misinformation campaign. “They are instigating people and fomenting riots,” he said.
The Home Minister, who controls the Delhi Police, has faced criticism and calls for resignation over the violence in Delhi that has left 42 dead and hundreds injured as protesters for and against the CAA clashed in the capital’s northeast fringe since Monday.
(Bureau Report with Agency Inputs ).
