Oppn raises pitch against CAA; BJP hits back

NEW DELHI: The implementation of the

Citizenship Amendment Act

(CAA) has triggered a political storm on expected lines with several opposition parties criticising the move and questioning the timing of Centre’s decision. The BJP on the other hand, has accused the opposition of fear-mongering over

CAA

.

While Mamata Banerjee called CAA a political gimmick ahead of Lok Sabha elections, BJP’s Smriti Irani accused the West Bengal chief minister of trying to instigate a few communities for votes.

Mamata Banerjee had targetted the Modi government over the CAA notification, alleging that this was merely an election gimmick and that anyone applying for citizenship under CAA would be labeled as “illegal migrants.”

“Central government implemented CAA yesterday, I am doubtful of its legality. There is no clarity from the government over this. This is just a gimmick ahead of the elections. In 2019, the names of 13 lakh Hindu Bengalis, out of a total of 19 lakh, were removed from the list in Assam in the name of NRC. Several people died by suicide,” Mamata Banerjee had said.
Smriti Irani defended CAA and affirmed that the decision to implement the CAA, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government was ‘correct’, claiming that the entire nation supports it.

“People belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities from countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh will be granted citizenship, a pledge fulfilled by PM Modi,” she said while talking to the media in West Bengal’s Bardhaman.
“Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal chief Minister) will try to instigate a few communities for a vote bank but the whole of India knows this decision of PM Modi is right,” Smriti Irani said.
Delhi chief minister

Arvind Kejriwal

also reiterated his earlier remarks on the CAA and said that more migration will now take place than what happened after independence leading to a collapse in law and order.
“It is written in the law of CAA that minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given citizenship. This is a poor country, if we open our doors then where will we settle them? There is going to be more migration due to CAA law than what happened after independence. Law and order will collapse, theft, robbery and rape will increase,” Kejriwal said.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti urged the people of the country to respond sensibly to laws like the CAA and not fall into the trap of inciting communal clashes.
“To divert attention from its failures in the last 10 years on various fronts like unemployment, youngsters committing suicide, the farmers’ plight, price rise and all those issues that take the country 1,000 years back rather than forward, attempts are being made to somehow cause Hindu-Muslim clashes and make people come out on the streets,” Mufti said.
Meanwhile, BJP leader

Ravi Shankar Prasad

accused opposition parties of stoking communal passion over CAA and emphasized that it does not take away citizenship or jobs from any Indian.
“Why are opposition parties spreading propaganda(on CAA)?” he asked.
“I will ask those stoking communal passion in the name of the CAA that they should stop spreading lies about it.”
Chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala–M K Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan–have also strongly opposed the CAA.
Union minister Anurag Thakur also lashed out at the critics of the CAA and highlighted the plight of Dalit families from neighboring countries who are waiting for citizenship in India.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) organised a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, with the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan alleging that the BJP-led government issued the CAA notification to divide the people along communal lines.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) organized a protest against the CAA, with various Congress leaders participating and vowing to repeal it if the party comes to power.
In his speech, Shashi Tharoor said if the Congress comes to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls, “we will throw the CAA into the Arabian Sea”.
“This is my word as a member of the Congress party’s manifesto committee,” he said.
Earlier, the ministry of home affairs said that helpline numbers will be launched soon to assist applicants for Indian citizenship under the CAA-2019.
According to MHA, the applicants will be able to get information related to CAA-2019 by calling free of cost.
“Helpline number to assist applicants for Indian citizenship under CAA -2019 will be launched soon. Applicants will be able to get information related to CAA-2019 by calling free of cost from anywhere in India. The service will be available from 8 am to 8 pm,” MHA posted on X.
(With agency inputs)