Pakistani Muslims can get Indian citizenship through proper channel
As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launches offensive against the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) moves across India, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took the field at Varanasi today. Mr. Pradhan, during the day, met significant persons in the city before he addressed a public meeting.
He said that a few anti-social and Pakistan supporters are spreading lies and disinformation about the CAA to create unrest in the country. CAA has nothing to do with the citizen of India, the Minister asserted. “It is about India’s compassion for the persecuted minorities in three neighboring Islamic countries; it is about their human rights.”
In December last year, the government of India eased provisions in India’s citizenship Act to grant citizenship to refugees belonging to minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The Act benefits Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian refugees of the three countries while Muslims could not find a place in the list. Differentiation of Muslims in the CAA gave rise to protests across the country. And, in the last three weeks since the Act came, 20 people died in the firing, hundreds got injured in the violence, and massive public property met arson.
In the wake of the escalating anti-CAA protest, the ruling BJP planned to reach out to the people to dissipate the fear of CAA. Indian law never prevents any foreign Muslim to apply for Indian citizenship, Mr. Pradhan said. And, he added that India has granted citizenship to 566 Muslims from Pakistan as he cited the example of Pakistani singer Adnan Sami who is now an Indian citizen.
Mr. Pradhan said, “We will go among the people to end the lies on CAA.” In the month-long campaign, BJP is going to organize 500 public rallies and 2500 pressers to counter the anti-CAA propaganda. The party will meet thirty million people with CAA facts. As per schedule, BJP launched its pan India campaign on January 5.
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