Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday distributed citizenship certificates to 188 refugees under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) here and said that pursuing an appeasement policy, those now in the opposition have given rights to infiltrators, while denying the same to refugees.
Shah said these millions of people yearned for justice for three generations but due to the appeasement policy of the opposition, they did not get justice.
“The CAA is not just to give citizenship to millions of people settled in the country, but to give justice and rights to millions of refugees,” Shah said.
The Home Minister said at the time of independence, India was divided based on religion and at that time there were severe riots. Crores of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains and Christians living in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh cannot forget their sufferings.
He said, “Many families were left desolated, while, those now in Opposition had then promised that people from Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain and Christian communities coming from neighbouring countries would be given citizenship of India. By the time the elections came, the leaders of the then government had reneged on their promises and the assurances made in 1947, 1948 and 1950 were forgotten”.
Shah said the then government did not give citizenship to these people as it would have angered their vote bank. Due to their policy of appeasement, millions of these people were deprived of citizenship and there can be no greater sin than that.
He said the journey from 1947 to 2019 and 2019 to 2024 will always be remembered by the history of this country and asked why can’t those from neighbouring countries who came to India seeking self-respect be given citizenship.
Shah said that on the one hand, the opposition made crores of people citizens illegally in India by helping them infiltrate from across the border, and on the other hand, those who followed and abided by the law were told that there was no legal provision for their citizenship.
Emphasising that the law is for the people and not the other way around, Shah said, “We had promised in 2014 that we will bring CAA and in 2019 the Modi government brought this law. Through this law, crores of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, who did not get justice, started getting justice”.
He said the law was passed in 2019 but even after that people were provoked and were told that it would take away the citizenship of Muslims. He clarified that there is no provision in this law to take anyone’s citizenship and it is a law to give citizenship.
He also asserted that there was no provision of any criminal prosecution in this law and everyone has been given amnesty.
Shah said even after the law was passed in 2019, these families did not get citizenship till 2024 as riots were fomented in the country and minorities were instigated. Rumours were spread in the country about CAA. This law does not take away anyone’s citizenship and it is a law to give citizenship to Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist refugees.
Stating that even today some state governments were misleading the people, the Home Minister appealed to the refugees across the country to feel free to apply for citizenship, and this will keep their jobs, houses, etc. intact as before.
He also assured that there is no provision of any criminal prosecution in this law and everyone has been given amnesty.
Shah said when the partition took place, there were 27 per cent Hindus in Bangladesh. But today only 9 per cent are left. He asked where did the remaining Hindus go and said that they were forcibly converted.
“People who came in our shelter deserve to have a life of self-respect and continue to practice their religion as per their wish. “If neighbours cannot live with dignity in their country and come to our shelter, we cannot remain a mute spectator. This is the Narendra Modi government and these people will get justice in this government,” Shah said.
He appealed to the refugees across the country that the Opposition parties will try to “mislead” them, but they should not be afraid. Those who are misleading minorities should know that they are doing injustice to them. Referring to the Opposition, Shah said that they did not dare to bring this law, but now at least they should support the Modi government in implementing it.
UNI
