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

CAA: The government said due to the persecution of minorities in some Muslim countries, "the name of Islam was badly tarnished".

Updated on: Mar 12, 2024, 20:16:39 IST

By HT News Desk

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New Delhi: Indian Muslims shouldn't worry about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as it cannot take away their citizenship, the Central government said in a statement on Tuesday, in an attempt to allay fear about the law. The Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that 18 crore Indian Muslims have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts and no citizen would be asked to produce any documents to prove his citizenship.

Union home minister Amit Shah today said the opposition is lying to minorities about CAA. (ANI file)

"Indian Muslims need not worry as CAA has not made any provision to impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the present 18 crore Indian Muslims, who have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts. No Indian citizen would be asked to produce any document to prove his citizenship after this Act," the ministry said in the statement.

The government said due to the persecution of minorities in some Muslim countries, "the name of Islam was badly tarnished".

Also read: Centre notifies CAA rules in big pre-poll decision

"However, Islam, being a peaceful religion, never preaches or suggests hatred/violence/any persecution on religious grounds. This Act, showing compassion and compensation for the persecution, protects Islam from being tarnished in the name of persecution," it added.

Also read: Amit Shah allays CAA fear, says Asaduddin Owaisi 'lying

The government said the concern of a section of the people that CAA is against Muslims is "unjustifiable".

"India does not have any pact or agreement with any of these countries to repatriate migrants back to these countries. This Citizenship Act doesn’t deal with the deportation of illegal immigrants and therefore the concern of a Section of the people including Muslims and students that CAA is against Muslim Minorities is unjustifiable," it added.

The Centre said the Act doesn't prevent any Muslim, who is persecuted for practising his religion in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, from applying for Indian citizenship.

Also read: 'Appeasement': Amit Shah slams Congress over CAA backlash

"CAA does not cancel the naturalisation laws. Therefore, any person including the Muslim migrants from any foreign country, seeking to be an Indian citizen, can apply for the same under the existing laws. This Act does not prevent any Muslim, who is persecuted in those 3 Islamic countries for practicing their version of Islam, from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws," the government said.

Earlier today, union minister Amit Shah said the law is not meant for snatching away any person's citizenship.

"Owaisi, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi are lying that minorities will lose citizenship due to CAA," he said at a rally in Hyderabad.

"I assure there is no provision in CAA to snatch away anyone's citizenship," he added.

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