Opposition orchestrated anti-CAA protests by misleading the people, says Naqvi

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019, is aimed at fast-tracking the grant of Indian citizenship to members of religious minorities from the Muslim-majority countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The ongoing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) are orchestrated by the Opposition that has failed to convince people to support them, so is confusing them by creating falsehoods about the legislation, Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Wednesday. He added that Muslims in India were living here out of “commitment, not compulsion”.

Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Wednesday. He added that Muslims in India were living here out of “commitment, not compulsion”.(Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

“The CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill) was first introduced in the Parliament in 2018; there were discussions with all the political parties. They did not oppose then,” Naqvi said.

Naqvi also pointed that, as per the allocation of business rules, 1961, the minority affairs ministry has been mandated with the task of raising concerns affecting the minorities in neighbouring countries, and ensuring protection and preservation of non-Muslim shrines in Pakistan and Muslim shrines in India in terms of the Pant-Mirza Agreement of 1955, in consultation with the ministry of external affairs.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019, is aimed at fast-tracking the grant of Indian citizenship to members of religious minorities from the Muslim-majority countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Answering a question on whether the government failed in communicating the details of the legislation and allaying concerns of Muslims, Naqvi said: “Where is the need to have discussions on something that does not affect Indian citizens? There is a misinformation campaign being carried out.

Reacting to Naqvi’s statement, Congress’s Jaiveer Shergill said: “Congress will expose BJP’s 3Cs -chaos, confusion and communalism strategy, which they have adopted to divert attention from sinking economy.