In a move to allay concerns about the bill, the Central government stated in a statement on Tuesday that Indian Muslims should not worry about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) because it cannot revoke their citizenship. The 18 crore Indian Muslims have the same rights as their Hindu counterparts, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs, and no citizen will be required to show identification as proof of citizenship.
In a statement, the ministry stated, “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 government said that “the name of Islam was badly tarnished” as a result of minorities being persecuted in several Muslim nations.
The Ministry further added, “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.”
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The government declared that it is “unjustifiable” for certain people to worry that CAA is biased against Muslims.
The ministry further added, “India and none of these nations have any kind of agreement or pact on the repatriation of migrants. Since the expulsion of illegal immigrants is not covered by this Citizenship Act, it is unjustified for certain people, especially Muslims and students, to worry that the Act is biased against Muslim minorities.”
According to the Centre, no Muslim who is oppressed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Bangladesh for practicing his religion is prohibited from obtaining Indian citizenship by the Act.
The government further added, “CAA does not cancel the naturalization laws. Therefore, any person including 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 Law doesn’t aim to snatch away any individual citizenship, Union Minister Amit Shah claimed.
Addressing a rally in Hyderabad, Amit Shah said, “Owaisi, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi are lying that minorities will lose citizenship due to CAA.”
