Ahmedabad : Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday termed it as a historic day, saying that the refugees running away from persecution in Pakistan joined 'our family' today. By passing the CAA, the Narendra Modi government has given justice and rights to millions of refugees from neighbouring countries, he said.
Speaking at the citizenship certificates distribution event in Ahmedabad, Amit Shah said that during the long rule of the Congress, lakhs of Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan did not get justice for decades. India was divided on the basis of religion, he said. At the time of partition, Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs were promised Indian citizenship but the refugees who came wearing clothes were forced to drive lorries to Gandhidham, he said.
At today's event, about 188 refugees were given citizenship certificates under the Citizenship Amendment Act passed by the central government in Parliament in 2019. It aims at giving citizenship to persons seeking refuge in India due to persecution in neighboring countries. Under CAA, citizenship is granted to refugees who have come to India from Pakistan.
"Congress forgot the promise made to the refugees at the time of partition after some time. Due to Congress' vote bank and Muslim appeasement, Hindus did not get citizenship in India. Hindus are forced to live helplessly in India. Congress has given citizenship to crores of Bangladeshi Muslims who entered India illegally. Whereas Hindus who came to India after years of persecution have not got citizenship," Amit Shah said.
The Union Minister further said that no one will lose citizenship under CAA. "In 2019, I got the opportunity to bring CAA law. I consider myself lucky that I got this opportunity. CAA law will not deprive any Muslim citizen of citizenship, this law is a law to give citizenship and not a law to take away citizenship," he said.
Amit Shah said that a woman who came here in 1995 has not yet received citizenship for years and today she will get citizenship certificate. At the time of partition, there were 27 percent Hindus in Bangladesh and it came down to only 9 percent today, he said, adding that they are tortured and forced to convert. Modi government is committed to giving them citizenship, he asserted.
Amit Shah said that when Modi was declared the PM candidate, he recalled how the country's democracy is trapped in nepotism, corruption, casteism and appeasement. PM Modi has changed the situation and created equal opportunities for every citizen, the Minister said. Modi government has removed Article 370 which has done injustice to Kashmir and children of Pakistani orphans will become MPs and MLAs after getting citizenship certificates, he said. "I am proud that today 188 citizens have joined our family," he said.
Also addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that citizenship certificates will be given under CAA. "At the time of independence, many Hindus lived in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Mahatma Gandhi appealed to settle Hindus by giving them Indian citizenship. Under the CAA, 188 people have got Indian citizenship. The feeling that the world is one family is fulfilled. Minority communities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will get Indian citizenship. Peace and internal security has been established in the country," he said.
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