Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday strongly defended the Citizenship Amendment Act and said that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre does not discriminate between Hindus and Muslims and those who have problems with the law can come to us.
Addressing a mega rally in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act in Meerut’s Shatabdi Nagar, the Defence Minister said, ”We promised that we will bring CAA. We have fulfilled our promise. We did nothing wrong. We didn’t do any injustice to anyone. The law was brought in the best interest of the country. Despite our sincere efforts, the law is being seen from the point of view of Hindus and Muslims. I want to say that those who have problems with the law, they can come to us.”
The veteran BJP leader also slammed the opposition parties for deliberately opposing the citizenship law and instilling fears in the minds of the minorities.
”Some political parties are conspiring against the government and spreading rumours to create fear in the minds of minority community members. I urge you not to fall in their trap. The Narendra Modi government is continuously working for your welfare,” Singh said.
While stressing that the amended Citizenship Act is not anti-Muslim, Singh said that the Modi government remains committed to the welfare of all sections of the society as it works with the motto of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.’
Earlier today, Singh called the youths and children of Jammu and Kashmir as ”nationalists”, who are sometimes being misguided by people with a vested interest.
The comments from the Defence Minister came days after Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said that the girls and boys, as young as 10 and 12, were being radicalised in Kashmir, adding that it was a matter of concern.
“The kids of Jammu Kashmir are nationalists. They shouldn’t be seen in any other way,” Singh, who visited the NCC Republic Day Camp in Delhi, said when asked about his opinion on kids in the state who are being motivated to join the National Cadet Corps.
The BJP veteran leader had come to Meerut to address a mega rally in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act as part of the government’s effort to reach out to Muslims to address their concerns regarding the CAA.
Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma and BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh were also present at the rally which was attended by nearly 30,000 people. This is the first big rally in favour of CAA in the Meerut district and local leaders have been working overnight to ensure overwhelming strength at the rally.
On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a mega rally in Lucknow during which he clarified that there is no provision in the amended law for taking anyone’s citizenship away and the law will not be withdrawn despite protests.
“A canard is being spread against the CAA by the Congress, SP, BSP, and Trinamool Congress,” he said. The CAA is a law to grant citizenship, he added. “I want to say that irrespective of the protests, it will not be withdrawn,” Shah added.
According to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.