ANS: Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as the law of the country will be implemented before the Lok Sabha election, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday.
Shah affirmed that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be enforced before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, reiterating its importance during his address at the ET Global Business Summit.
He clarified that the CAA, as a law of the land, aims to grant citizenship to refugees from minority communities who have faced persecution based on religion in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. He emphasized that there is no provision within the Act that revokes citizenship, dismissing misconceptions among the minority community, particularly Muslims.
“The Act is designed to provide refuge, not to strip citizenship. It’s crucial to understand that,” Shah stated, addressing concerns about the Act’s implications on citizenship.
Shah expressed his belief that there should be no objection to the implementation of the CAA, emphasizing its humanitarian aspect and the need to support persecuted communities seeking shelter in India.
Regarding the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Shah emphasized its historical significance as an agenda of the BJP since the Jan Sangh era. He underscored that the concept of UCC has bipartisan support, with leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel, and Rajendra Prasad endorsing it.
Shah criticized the Congress for sidelining the UCC in favor of appeasement politics, highlighting its importance as a constitutional agenda. He referenced Uttarakhand’s implementation of the UCC as a progressive step, emphasizing the need for social, religious discussions and legal scrutiny before enforcing such a significant change.
Asserting the secular nature of the country, Shah underscored that there cannot be religion-based laws in India, reinforcing the importance of upholding the principles of a secular state.