Days following the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed that the act will not be revoked. Shah further emphasized that the states do not possess the authority to obstruct the CAA, as only the central government can grant citizenship.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Amit Shah stated, “The CAA will never be retracted. It is our sovereign decision to safeguard Indian citizenship within our nation, and we will never compromise on this principle.”
Regarding the implementation of the act, Shah reassured, “There is no reason for minorities or any individual to fear, as the CAA does not contain any provision to revoke anyone’s citizenship.”
Shah clarified, “The CAA solely aims to provide rights and citizenship to Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Christian, and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.”
Addressing the Opposition’s accusation that the BJP is utilizing the CAA to create a new vote bank, the Home Minister responded, “The Opposition has no other agenda; they never follow through with their words.”
He added, “They also claimed that the abrogation of Article 370 was solely for our political advantage. Since 1950, we have consistently expressed our intention to repeal Article 370.”
In response to the Opposition parties questioning the timing of the CAA notification, Shah remarked, “All Opposition parties, including Asaduddin Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and Mamata Banerjee, are engaging in a politics of falsehoods.”
All Opposition parties, including Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and Mamata Banerjee, are engaging in deceitful politics. The timing of their actions is irrelevant. The BJP had clearly stated in its 2019 manifesto that it would enact the CAA and grant citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Although it was passed by Parliament in 2019, the implementation was delayed due to the Covid pandemic. The Opposition’s intention is to indulge in appeasement politics and secure their vote bank. However, their true motives have been exposed, and the people of the country are aware that the CAA is a legitimate law. I have reiterated 41 times in the past four years that it would be enforced before the elections.
Shah also criticized Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, stating that he has lost his composure. This remark was made in response to Kejriwal’s claim that granting citizenship to refugees would lead to an increase in thefts and rapes.
The Chief Minister of Delhi seems to have lost his composure after his corruption was exposed. He fails to recognize that these individuals have already arrived and are residing in India. If he is genuinely concerned, why doesn’t he address the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators or voice opposition against the Rohingyas?
Shah accused Kejriwal of engaging in vote bank politics and urged him to remember the historical context of the partition and meet with refugee families.
Shah responded to Mamata Banerjee’s comment on the CAA notification by stating that the BJP will soon come to power in West Bengal and put an end to infiltration. He criticized Banerjee’s politics, stating that if she continues to engage in appeasement politics and oppose granting citizenship to refugees, the people will not support her. According to Shah, Banerjee lacks the understanding of distinguishing between a person seeking refuge and an infiltrator.
Amit Shah’s statement regarding the implementation of CAA in other states was as follows.
In an interview with ANI, Amit Shah discussed the implementation of the CAA in various states. He addressed the statements made by the governments of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, who have declared that they will not implement the CAA in their respective states. Shah emphasized that according to Article 11 of the Constitution, the power to make rules regarding citizenship lies with the Parliament, not the states. He expressed confidence that after the elections, everyone will cooperate and stated that the spread of misinformation for appeasement politics is taking place.
When asked about the impact of the CAA on tribal areas, Shah assured that there will be no change in their composition. He explained that provisions have been made in the Act itself to exempt areas with Inner Line Permit and those included in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution from the application of the CAA. He further mentioned that applications with addresses in these areas will not be uploaded to the app, as they have been excluded from it.
The Citizenship Amendment Act was implemented by the Centre on Monday, five years after its passage in Parliament. This development precedes the announcement of dates for the Lok Sabha elections by the Election Commission of India.
