“Amit Shah Defends Citizenship Law Against Opposition’s Anti-Muslim Allegations”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) does not target Muslims and accused the Opposition of spreading falsehoods for political gain. He reiterated that he has addressed the issue of CAA on numerous occasions, clarifying that it does not revoke the rights of any citizen. Shah explained that the CAA is designed to grant citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians. He stressed that Muslims can still apply for citizenship under existing constitutional provisions, but the CAA is specifically intended to assist persecuted minorities from these countries.
Mr. Shah firmly stated that the implementation of the CAA will not be reconsidered, regardless of any protests. He criticized the Opposition for their stance against the law, asserting that it was brought forth by the BJP-led government and would not be repealed. He dismissed claims of the CAA being unconstitutional, arguing that it does not infringe upon Article 14 of the Constitution, as it provides for a reasonable classification based on the plight of individuals facing religious persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh due to partition. Additionally, he expressed determination to raise awareness nationwide to prevent any attempts to repeal the law.
In response to criticism about the timing of implementing the law, he asserted that all Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and Arvind Kejriwal, are engaged in dishonest politics, so the issue of timing is irrelevant. The BJP had outlined its intention to enact the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in its 2019 manifesto and fulfilled this promise after its electoral victory. The delay was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The notification of rules was merely a procedural formality, devoid of any political calculation. The Opposition’s criticism is an attempt to pander to their voter base through appeasement politics.
The Home Minister defended the government’s actions by citing past instances where the Opposition questioned decisions such as the 2016 surgical strikes and the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized the long-standing BJP stance against the partition of India based on religion and reiterated that minorities facing persecution in neighboring countries have a right to Indian citizenship. He accused the Opposition, particularly the Congress, of playing vote bank politics instead of addressing the plight of persecuted minorities.
Addressing Mamata Banerjee’s allegations about the CAA jeopardizing minority citizenship, he challenged her to provide evidence of such provisions in the law. He accused her of trying to create divisions between Hindus and Muslims for political gain, particularly targeting Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh. He urged her not to harm the interests of these communities for the sake of political maneuvering.
