Opposition inciting riots over CAA: Shah
Bhubaneswar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused opposition parties of inciting communal riots over the CAA by spreading "misinformation" that Muslims will lose their citizenship because of the new law.
He also extolled Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing important issues relating to "national security and sensibilities", including abrogation of provisions of Article 370, CAA and the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.
"Opposition parties are spreading misinformation that Muslims will lose their Indian citizenship because of the CAA.
They are instigating people and fomenting riots," he told a pro-CAA BJP rally here.
"I have said this before and repeating it now that nobody, no Indian Muslim will lose their citizenship because of the CAA. This law is for granting citizenship to religious minorities that have been persecuted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It's not intended to take away anyone's citizenship".
Calling the Citizenship (Amendment) Act a "historic step", Shah alleged that the Congress, Communists, SP, BSP and 'Mamata didi' were spreading lies about it.
Asking people not to be misled over the opposition's attempts at creating 'bhranti' (confusion) about the new law, he said the Modi government had only fulfilled the dreams of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and others who favoured Indian citizenship for persecuted minorities from the three countries.
"Shouldn't they get Indian citizenship? Shouldn't their human rights be protected?" Shah asked the audience which responded with a resounding "yes". He said people should come out and ask those fomenting trouble to explain which clause of the Citizensip (Amendment) Act talked about snatching citizenship.
"Because of Article 370 Jammu and Kashmir appeared alienated from 'Bharat'. With its abrogation, Kashmir is now the crown of Mother India," he said.
The Home Minister also accused the Congress of stalling resolution of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in the Supreme Court for decades.
"After the BJP returned to power for a second term with 303 seats, the path was paved for building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya that would touch the sky," he said.
