Shah distributes citizenship certificates to 188 refugees in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah distributed citizenship certificates to 188 refugees under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
In his address, Amit Shah emphasized that the CAA is not merely a tool to grant citizenship to millions settled in India but a means to deliver justice and restore rights to refugees who have long been marginalised.
He pointed out that from 1947 to 2014, previous governments failed to provide these rights due to their policies of appeasement, leaving millions without justice for generations.
Highlighting the plight of religious minorities in neighboring countries, Shah recalled the severe communal riots at the time of India’s partition and noted that many Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, and Christians in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh suffered immensely. He criticised former governments for reneging on their promises to grant citizenship to these communities, accusing them of neglecting the rights of refugees to protect their vote banks.
Shah also accused the opposition of facilitating illegal immigration while denying citizenship to law-abiding refugees.
He reaffirmed the Modi government’s commitment to rectifying this injustice, noting that the CAA was passed in 2019 despite opposition and misinformation campaigns that falsely claimed it would strip Muslims of their citizenship.
The Union Home Minister urged refugees across the country to apply for citizenship without fear, assuring them that the law would not only protect their rights but also offer amnesty for any delays in the process.
He criticised state governments that continue to mislead people about the CAA, insisting that the law is purely for granting citizenship and not for criminal prosecution.
Reflecting on historical injustices, Shah cited the dwindling Hindu population in Bangladesh—from 27 percent at the time of partition to just 9 percent today—as evidence of forced conversions and persecution.
He asserted that refugees seeking dignity and religious freedom in India deserve to live with respect and practice their faith without fear.
Amit Shah’s address also touched on broader national issues, including the fight against nepotism, casteism, appeasement, and corruption, which he said had plagued Indian democracy.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to uproot these evils over the past decade, citing achievements such as the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the restoration of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, and the abolition of triple talaq and Article 370.
Concluding his speech, Shah appealed to refugees to resist opposition attempts to mislead them, urging them to trust the Modi government’s commitment to justice.
He called on opposition parties to support the implementation of the CAA, despite their earlier reluctance to introduce the law.
