CAA: It’s only for migrants, not for Indians, says BJP neta

BENGALURU: BJP vice-president Vinay Prabhakar Sahasrabuddhe charged that vested interests were spreading falsehood about the amended Citizenship Act as part of a conspiracy to tarnish the nation's image.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of a workshop organized here by the state unit for party workers and local leaders across south India, he said the law was not for citizens of India, but for those who migrated to the country in the aftermath of religious persecution. “We consider the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as part of the freedom movement in India because the freedom movement had certain aspects unfinished. One of them was implementation of the Nehru-Liaquat Ali pact, 1950, where it was guaranteed that both India and Pakistan will provide security to all minorities. This is a legislation to widen the scope of citizenship of India to include many people and certainly not to exclude any. The Act does not exclude anybody. It includes all those who are persecuted on religious grounds,” he said adding since Pakistan did not keep its word, India had to re-enact some amendments in the Citizenship Act.

Mr Sahasrabuddhe said it is the responsibility of the Union government to safeguard minorities who migrated from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

National organizing secretary B L Santosh told the 60-odd delegates from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep to create awareness among people about the amended Act and clear all doubts in their mind about CAB. He explained the scope and objectives of the amended Act.  BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said, “This Act has nothing to do with citizens of India, but there is an attempt by various political parties and vested interests to create a fear psychosis among minorities of India, to be specific, among Muslims. The Act is aimed at those who have migrated from other countries. They will now get citizenship in the name of humanity,” he added.  Mr Narasimha Rao accused the Opposition of hypocrisy, saying they indulged in cynical politics. Their leaders like former PM Manmohan Singh, former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi and CPM leader Prakash Karat, among others, have spoken in favour of providing citizenship to religious minorities from neighbouring countries in the past, have spoken in favour of providing citizenship to religious minorities from neighbouring countries in the past.