Amit Shah hits back at opposition parties amid CAA implementation controversy
Secunderabad:
Reacting to the opposition’s allegations of implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said the Congress’s opposition to the bill was for “appeasement” and “vote bank politics”.
“We had said we would introduce CAA. Congress was against CAA. Since Independence, Congress and the framers of the Constitution had promised that we would provide citizenship to refugees from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where atrocities were suffered. But Congress is opposing this due to appeasement and vote bank politics,” he said at a meeting of BJP social media volunteers.
We said we would bring CAA…
We said we would bring CAA… pic.twitter.com/QAlQ2UMQ8S— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) March 12, 2024
Tens of millions of people have fled to India from Pakistan and Bangladesh to “save their religion and honor” but have not been granted citizenship, the home minister said. “Without citizenship, they would have suffered indignity in their own country. Narendra Modi has respected Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs by granting them citizenship,” he said.
Mr Shah said the BJP-led central government has been working towards ensuring that these refugees lead a dignified life. “We act to protect their culture, language, religion and the honor of women in the family,” he said. “From now on, every refugee in this country has the same rights as you and I.”
The home minister’s scathing comeback came as opposition parties criticized the implementation of the citizenship law.
The main opposition Congress has questioned the timing of the CAA’s implementation, accusing the BJP of trying to polarize voters ahead of the elections. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge called it “a desperate attempt by the BJP to divisive politics”.
Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee warned people against applying for citizenship under the new law. “BJP leaders say CAA gives you rights. But the moment you apply for citizenship, you become an illegal immigrant and you will lose your rights. You will lose your rights and be taken to detention camps. Please apply before Think twice,” she said. “Have you heard of citizenship based on religion? It is an affront to humanity,” the West Bengal chief minister added.
The DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister said the CAA is “divisive” and against India’s pluralism and secularism.
Under the new law, non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan fleeing religious persecution can seek Indian citizenship. People from the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Zoroastrian or Christian communities from these countries who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, can seek citizenship under the law.
