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Amit Shah awards citizenship under CAA to 188 refugees in Gujarat
Amit Shah also inaugurated development projects valued at an estimated ₹1,003 crore in Ahmedabad on Sunday
Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah criticised the previous Congress governments for failing to grant citizenship to persecuted refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan from 1947 to 2014, accusing them of engaging in “appeasement politics” instead of addressing the issue.
Shah, who is on a two-day visit to his home state of Gujarat, was speaking at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Auditorium in Ahmedabad where he awarded Indian citizenship certificates to 188 refugees.
“These people will now be recognised as Indian citizens and will live with pride. These 188 new citizens serve as an example for other refugees and their future generations will contribute to the nation as entrepreneurs and public representatives,” he said.
The 188 Hindu refugees who received Indian citizenship on Sunday, include 90 from Ahmedabad, 36 from Morbi, 20 from Surendranagar, 18 from Patan, 10 from Mehsana, six from Rajkot, three each from Kutch and Vadodara, and two from Anand.
Shah expressed pride and satisfaction in completing what he described as a “long-standing task that remained unfinished from 1947 to 2014.”
“From 1947 to 2014, people persecuted from countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan were not granted citizenship, leading to their continued suffering within the country. For decades, the Congress governments ignored the plight of these persecuted refugees, choosing appeasement politics over justice…Under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership, we have corrected this historic injustice by granting citizenship to those who have endured severe persecution in neighboring countries,” said Shah.
He highlighted the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), passed in 2019, as a vital instrument in resolving the citizenship issue. “The Citizenship Amendment Act was developed to provide citizenship, not to revoke it. Today, 188 citizens are receiving their certificates under this law, and I urge other refugees to apply promptly,” he said.
Shah spoke about the issue of citizenship in connection with India’s partition, which the Modi government has commemorated since 2021 by observing August 14 as the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day to honor those who lost their lives during that tragic event.
“After India’s partition, minority communities in neighboring countries faced severe persecution. Many lost their families and the wealth they had accumulated over their lifetimes without receiving justice. This is a wrong that we are finally addressing under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” he added.
In a separate event, Shah also inaugurated development projects valued at an estimated ₹1,003 crore to Ahmedabad on Sunday. Chief minister Bhupendra Patel was also present on the occasion.
During the event, a total of 45 development projects spearheaded by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation were e-launched and had their foundation stones laid. These projects, which are set to significantly transform the urban landscape of Ahmedabad, span sectors such as sanitation, health, sports, and environmental conservation.
Shah lauded the collaborative efforts of the Gujarat Government and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for bringing these public development projects to fruition. He stated that 21 projects worth ₹730 crore were inaugurated in Ahmedabad alone, with the foundation stones laid for four additional projects in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha area. Furthermore, 18 projects were inaugurated, and two new development projects saw their foundation stones laid in the Ahmedabad East and Ahmedabad West Lok Sabha areas.
Shah emphasised that these development initiatives are part of a broader strategy that has seen an annual investment of around ₹5,000 crore in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency over the past five years. “This consistent and substantial investment has fueled continuous and dynamic progress within both Ahmedabad city and the Gandhinagar constituency, contributing to their transformation into modern, thriving urban centers,” he said.
