Opposition Accuses Centre of Polarizing Elections with CAA Notification

The Congress has criticized the Narendra Modi government for its timing in notifying the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) rules, suggesting that the move, coinciding with the announcement of Lok Sabha election dates, is aimed at polarizing elections, particularly in West Bengal and Assam.

The CAA aims to grant citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh remarked, “It has taken four years and three months for the Modi Government to notify the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act that was passed by the Parliament in December 2019.” He criticized the timing of the notification, suggesting it was deliberately close to the elections to incite polarization, especially in West Bengal and Assam.

Also Read: Central Government Gives a Green Flag To Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah celebrated the implementation of CAA, stating that PM Modi has fulfilled another commitment and realized the promise of the Constitution’s framers.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed the move as BJP’s election publicity, vowing to fight against any rules that deprive people of their rights.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Centre’s decision to notify the rules, labeling it as BJP’s distraction tactics. He questioned the need for the citizenship law when citizens are struggling for livelihood and called for accountability on issues like the Electoral Bond and the care fund.