CAA is against India’s Constitution, says AIMIM chief Owaisi

Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was against the Constitution and his party will always oppose it.

Speaking to reporters here, the Hyderabad MP claimed that the legislation was enacted “on the basis of religion”.

“We were never against the return (to India) of Hindus, Sikhs, and others who are living in Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh. But, this CAA...it should not be seen alone...(it) must be seen with (and understood) with NPR-NRC. The only intention of this law is to trouble Muslims, Dalits, and poor citizens of different communities. AIMIM was against it and will always oppose it,” Owaisi said.

The AIMIM chief was reacting to a query on the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who said that the rules for implementing the CAA will be issued before the coming Lok Sabha polls and the process to grant Indian nationality to the beneficiaries will start soon after.

Under the CAA, the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians - from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who had come to India till December 31, 2014.