CAA will never be rolled back, says Home Minister Amit Shah

The Trinamool Congress chief has warned people against applying for citizenship under CAA, saying, “you become illegal migrants and you will lose your rights”. Banerjee described CAA as "another game to divide Bengal".

Also Read | What is Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)? Who will be impacted?

The government on March 12 issued a notification for the Citizenship Amendment Act, under which non-Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan fleeing religious persecution can seek Indian citizenship.

Persons from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from these countries who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, can seek citizenship under CAA.

Responding on Opposition's charge that BJP is creating a new vote bank through CAA, he said, "The opposition has no other work, they even said that there was a political benefit in surgical strikes and air strikes, so should we not take action against terrorism?

"They also said that the abrogation of Article 370 was also for our political benefit. We have been saying since 1950 that we will remove Article 370. Unki history hai jo bolte hai karte nahi hai, Modi ji ki history hai jo BJP ya PM Modi ne kaha woh patthar ki lakeer hai. Modi ki har guarantee poori hoti hai (they don't do what they say but whatever Modi or the BJP say is cast in stone. Every Modi guarantee is fulfilled)..."

'Why doesn't Kejriwal talk about Rohingyas?'

The home minister also spoke about Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's statement that giving citizenship to refugees will increase thefts and rapes.

"The Delhi CM has lost his calm after his corruption was exposed. He does not know that all these people have already come and are living in India. If he is so concerned, then why doesn't he talk about Bangladeshi infiltrators or oppose the Rohingyas? He is doing vote bank politics... He has forgotten the background of partition and should meet the refugee families," Shah said.

Questions Owaisi's 'anti-Muslim' remark

The home minister also questioned All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi statement that called CAA "anti-Muslim". "What is his logic? There cannot be religious oppression of Muslims because Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are declared Islamic states…There is no provision for NRC in this law. There is no provision in this law to take anyone’s citizenship," he said.

Also Read | CAA Rules: From eligibility to process of getting citizenship, these key facts every citizen should know

No one, including minorities, have anything to fear. "There is no need for minorities or any other person to fear because there is no provision in CAA to take away anyone's citizenship. CAA is only to give rights and citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan…"

'BJP has fulfilled its poll promise' 

Speaking about the Opposition questioning the timing of CAA rules notification, Shah said all opposition leaders, including Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, said the BJP had fulfilled its poll promise.

"All opposition parties incl Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee are doing politics of lies. There is no question of timing. BJP said in its manifesto in 2019 that it would bring CAA and give citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan...In 2019, it was passed by Parliament but got delayed due to Covid... The opposition wants to do appeasement politics and wants to consolidate their vote bank. They have been exposed and the people of the country know that CAA is the law of this country. I have said 41 times in the last 4 years that it would be implemented before the elections…," he said.

The law is accepting one as a refugee and if someone has entered India illegally, there will be no criminal case against them.

"..Due to the miscampaign going on, many people will hesitate to file an application. I want to assure everyone to apply here and have faith in the Narendra Modi government that you will be given citizenship with retrospective effect. This law is accepting you as a refugee. If you have entered India illegally, there will be no criminal case against you...There is no need for anyone to get scared. Everyone will be given equal rights as they will become the citizens of India," he said.

Also Read | Citizenship Amendment Act: MHA clears up myths regarding legislation

CAA won't dilute tribals' rights 

CAA will not dilute the rights of tribals, Shah said. "CAA will not change or dilute the composition and rights of the tribal areas. We have made provisions in the Act itself that wherever there is an Inner Line Permit and the areas included in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, CAA will not be applicable there. The applications with the address in those areas will not be uploaded to the App. We have excluded it from the App."

'NRC, CAA are different'

The National Register of Citizens has nothing to do with the CAA, Shah said. "The NRC has nothing to do with the CAA. CAA will be implemented in Assam and other parts of the country. Only the states in the Northeast where two types of special rights have been granted, only those areas will not implement CAA. This includes the areas where there is a provision for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and the areas that are granted special status under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution."

"They (those who get citizenship through CAA) will be added to the citizenship list like every common citizen of India. They will have as many rights as you or I have. They can contest elections and become MP, MLA, CM and minister."