Leader of Oppositon in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said that Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) does not snatch anyone’s citizenship, adding that Hindu refugees in West Bengal are joyous over the Centre’s move to implement it.
“Hindu refugees in West Bengal are very happy. This is a very good step. This is not an attempt to snatch someone’s citizenship. Mamata Banerjee tries a lot to create confusion. This law is very clear. This is a law to give citizenship and not to take it away,” Suvendu Adhikari told media.
#WATCH Kolkata: On the CAA notification, WB LoP Suvendu Adhikari says, "…Hindu refugees in West Bengal are very happy…This is a very good step. This is not an attempt to snatch someone's citizenship. Mamata Banerjee tried a lot to create confusion… This law is very… pic.twitter.com/GeuliPNTF2
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2024
The Union Home Ministry announced the notification of rules for implementation of the CAA on March 11, days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees who had sought shelter in India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in three neighboring countries–Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, of six minority communities there.
On the CAA notification, CPI(M) leader Md Salim said, “It took 5 years to notify the rules. Why was it delayed? People want jobs and education and the problem of price rises is not being addressed. The Modi government has failed to raise emotive issues. Now, as a last resort before the elections, they are announcing these rules.”
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said, “The Citizenship Amendment Act was passed by the Parliament years ago. What is happening now is the logical conclusion of preparing the rules and regulations. I see it only as part of the normal process of good governance in this country.”
On the CAA notification, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said, “The way (removal of) Article 370 was important, in the same way CAA is important too. The main objective of CAA is that if someone has faced atrocities and they come to India, we will give them citizenship. If the opposition is doing hue and cry, then it is clear vote bank politics.”
In a post on X, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Indians who earlier protested to oppose CAA, the National Population Register, and the National Register of Citizens will have no choice but to oppose it again.
“Aap chronology samajhiye, pehle election season aayega, phir CAA rules aayenge. Our objections to CAA remain the same. CAA is divisive and based on Godse’s thought that it wanted to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens. Give asylum to anyone who is persecuted but citizenship must not be based on religion or nationality,” Asaduddin Owaisi posted on X.
Aap chronology samajhiye, pehle election season aayega phir CAA rules aayenge. Our objections to CAA remain the same. CAA is divisive & based on Godse’s thought that wanted to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens.
Give asylum to anyone who is persecuted but citizenship must…
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 11, 2024
NCP-SCP leader and MP, Supriya Sule said, “I will have to go through the draft. I am in my constituency right now, I will give a statement after getting more details…”
Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said, “A separate press conference will be done on this issue where I will be speaking whatever I have to…”.
Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that the BJP looks desperate to make such announcements ahead of polls. “The BJP government is desperate and many such announcements will be made. They are scared of what people will do but people have made their decision…,” Randhwana said.
The notification stated that every application made by the applicant under sub-rule (1) shall have a declaration to the effect that the citizenship of the origin country shall stand renounced irrevocably in the event of his application being approved and that the person shall not raise any claim on it in the future. The notification specified the details of the steps and process required to apply for eligible Indian citizenship.
(with inputs from ANI)
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