CAA will take away jobs: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s remarks spark row

The BJP hit back strongly, accusing Kejriwal, who is also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of being “anti-Hindu, anti-Sikh and anti-Buddhist”

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday sparked a political row after he claimed that the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 or CAA will take away jobs meant for India’s youth, and will lead to an increase in crime. He also claimed that the Centre implemented the law ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in order to consolidate votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses the media on CAA in New Delhi on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

The BJP hit back strongly, accusing Kejriwal, who is also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of being “anti-Hindu, anti-Sikh and anti-Buddhist”.

The Centre on Monday implemented CAA, a contentious law that paves the way for citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. The development came four years after Parliament passed the law in December 2019.

Speaking out against the law at a press conference on Monday, Kejriwal accused the BJP of indulging in vote bank politics, and demanded its repeal.

Read Here: What is CAA? All you need to know about the Citizenship Amendment Act

“If those people (minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) are brought to India and selectively settled in constituencies where the BJP is politically weak, the vote bank of the BJP will increase. Some people say that in the future elections, the vote bank will give BJP a big political advantage,” he said.

“The BJP-led central government is not able to provide jobs to our youth… A large number of people in India are homeless and jobless, but the BJP wants to give our jobs to them, spend the money, which should have been used on the people of India, on their settlement… The entire country demands that CAA should be withdrawn. We will not give our share of jobs to people from other countries,” he added.

The AAP national convenor also alleged that the BJP may in the future extend the cut-off date for non-Muslim migrants eligible for CAA.

“They are saying that those who have come to India before 2014 will be given citizenship. It is not like that. Once the doors (to the country) open, a large number of people will start coming into India. In the next election, the BJP will extend the cut-off date to 2024 and later extend it further,” he said.

Read Here | 'Indian Muslims need not worry': Centre allays fear on CAA

Later, during the inauguration of a flyover at Moti Nagar in west Delhi, Kejriwal claimed that CAA may lead to an increase in crime.

“Even if 15 million migrants come to our country, it will be a bigger migration compared to what happened after Independence in 1947. Would people like it if migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh start living in jhuggis near their homes? It may hit the law and order of our country, and incidents of crime may increase,” he said.

The BJP hit back strongly, saying that CAA is a law to shelter the needy.

“Through his press conference today, Arvind Kejriwal has proved that he is anti-Hindu, anti-Sikh and anti-Buddhist. He doesn’t even understand that CAA is a law to provide shelter to all needy people persecuted by ‘jihadis’ and not to strip anyone of their citizenship. Kejriwal either intentionally disrespects refugees or is unaware of how Muslim fundamentalism have persecuted Hindus and Sikhs, taken their jobs, and humiliated their sisters and daughters,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.

“Kejriwal should understand that refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan are our own and will remain so. He should not forget that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only provided benefits of all schemes to all Indian Muslims, but also to Muslims from neighbouring countries,” he added.