While addressing a rally in Jharkhand's Poreyahat, Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to students across the country to go through the Citizenship Amendment Act and to not fall in the trap of political parties. He said that there is no provision in the Act CAA that takes away anyone's citizenship.
Further, the home minister took shots at the AAP, Congress and the TMC, blaming them of 'misleading the students' and creating an 'atmosphere of violence across the country’.
“The CAA is to give citizenship to refugees facing religious persecution, it is not to take away citizenship of any Indian.”Amit Shah, Home Minister
"Some parties are spreading rumours and inciting violence for their political interest. I request students to go through the CAA once and not fall in their trap," he said.
Shah's comments on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act came amidst widespread protests by students and other people in different parts of the country against the legislation.
According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till 31 December, 2014 and were facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants and will be given Indian citizenship.
The Act, passed by the Parliament and assented to by the President last week, says refugees belonging to the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after they reside in India for five years, instead of 11 years earlier.
‘Unfortunate and Deeply Distressing’: PM Modi on Violent PProtests
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also termed violent protests across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act as "unfortunate and deeply distressing", and appealed to people to stay away from rumour-mongering and not let "vested interests" divide the society.
In a series of tweets, Modi also assured that the amended citizenship law does not affect any Indian of any religion.
Home Ministry officials said in New Delhi that no refugees belonging to Hindu and other five communities coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship automatically but only after fulfilling the necessary criteria.
“The new act does not mean that all refugees or illegal immigrants (will be) getting Indian citizenship automatically. They have to apply for citizenship which will be processed by the competent authority.”Home Ministry Official
"The applicant concerned will be given Indian citizenship only after fulfilling the required criteria," the official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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