As the protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill intensified, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Narendra Modi government is firm on implementing the controversial legislation and no opposition can deter it.
At an event here, Shah accused the "entire opposition" of misleading the people of the country on the bill and said that there was no question of taking away citizenship of any person from any minority community. There is no such provision in the bill, he said.
"Oppose as much as you can but the Narendra Modi govt is firm that CAA will be implemented and all these refugees will get Indian citizenship and live here with honour," Shah said.
He said he wanted to tell the Congress that this was part of Nehru-Liaquat Pact but it did not implement it for 70 years because of vote bank politics. "Our government has implemented the pact and given citizenship to lakhs and crores of people," he said.
"You can protest all you want but migrants will get citizenship," he said adding, "the Act is on the website and if one thinks this does injustice to anyone then let us know. Modi government doesn't do injustice with anyone."
Shah's comments came as Opposition leaders led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi approached President Ram Nath Kovind to raise the issue of the Act that provides persecuted minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh citizenship while excluding Muslims. The opposition has objected to making religion a basis for granting religion.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs argues that there us a "misinformation campaign" against the CAA while insisting that the CAA does not affect any Indian citizen, including Muslim citizens.
In an FAQ, the MHA said, "the CAA is a very focused law which deals specifically with foreigners of six minority community groups hailing from three neighbouring countries which have their distinct state religion."
"The CAA is not meant to deprive any Indian citizen of his citizenship. Rather it is a special law to enable certain foreigners facing a particular situation in three neighbouring countries to get Indian citizenship," it said.
The FAQ also said appropriate rules under the CAA are being framed and they will operationalise various provisions of the new amendments.