NE NEWS SERVICE
JODHPUR, JAN 3
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is a law to grant citizenship and not to take it away, said the Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Friday.
Shah also said that the government will not backtrack from its decision to implement the CAA despite the criticism and opposition by the Opposition.
While addressing a rally to create awareness programme on CAA, Shah said, “No provision in Citizenship Amendment Act to take anyone’s citizenship away, it is a law to grant citizenship.’’
Opposition parties have been protesting against the amendment to the citizenship law which grants citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh if they have come from these three countries before 2015 after facing religious persecution.
The home minister said the Centre will not move even an inch away on the issue, no matter how many parties join hands against it.
“Even if all these parties come together, BJP will not move back even an inch on this issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act. You can spread as much misinformation as you want,” Shah said.
Congress playing vote-bank politics by spreading misinformation
Amit Shah also attacked the Congress accusing it of playing vote-bank politics by spreading “misinformation” on CAA.
“For vote-bank politics, Congress party is speaking against a great personality like Veer Savarkar as well. Congressmen should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.
Govt. dividing the country in the name of religion: Mamata
Siliguri: Earlier on Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee launched a stinging attack at the Centre, alleging the government is dividing the country in the name of religion. Banerjee said she will not allow the BJP government to take away their rights.
“If we raise the issue of joblessness and hunger, they say go to Pakistan,” Banerjee said while addressing a rally in Siliguri. “I won’t let them take rights,” she said.