The Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 17, refused to roll back the amended Citizenship Act amidst the nationwide protest. He said that the government will do everything to provide citizenship to migrants of the persecuted non-muslim minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
“Come what may, the Modi government will ensure that these refugees get Indian citizenship and live as Indians with honour,” Amit Shah said at a rally in Delhi’s Dwarka. The comments came at a time when fresh protests are erupting against the controversial law across the nation.
Amit Shah tried to mitigate the apprehensions of protesters, claiming that nobody’s nationality would be lost because of the amended Citizenship Act.
“I want to tell our students as well as Muslim brothers and sisters that there’s nothing to fear. Nobody is going to lose Indian citizenship. The legislation is on the website for everybody to read,” Shah said.
He said that the amended citizenship act is a part of Nehru-Liaquat pact that was never implemented for 70 years because Congress never wanted to hurt their vote bank.
In 1950, Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru and his Pakistani counterpart Liaquat Ali Khan signed an agreement according to which both the countries needs to make sure that there will be “complete equality of citizenship” and “full sense of security” for their minorities.
“We believe in sabka saath, sabka vikas and injustice will not be done to anybody,” he added. The home minister accused the Congress of trying to mislead the people.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Jharkhand said “urban Naxals” were using students for politics. PM Modi said that students can debate and protest against government policies they are against but be wary of urban Naxals.
Modi assured that no Indian’s citizenship will be affected by the Act, irrespective of their religion.
