Staff Reporter / New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed the people to shun violence and not damage public property saying that the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC) have nothing to do with the people of a particular religion.
He also clarified that the government has not taken any decision on NRC, which is related to Assam State.
Addressing BJP Dhanyawad rally at Ramlila Grounds here today, Mr Modi said, the Citizenship Amendment Act was aimed at giving citizenship to the persecuted minorities who migrated to India from neighbouring countries. He accused the opposition of misleading the minority community. He also quoted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remarks favouring citizenship to persecuted minorities from Bangladesh.
Mr Modi said, the country had a chance to expose Pakistan’s discrimination against minorities but it was lost due to rival politics. In his emotionally charged speech, he dared his opponents to find anything discriminatory in his efforts while citing the government’s developmental programs.
WHAT AMIT SHAH SAID ON NRC EARLIER
This stands in direct contrast with what Amit Shah has promised on several occasions about introducing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal and across the country to weed out illegal immigrants.
Amit Shah has time and again defended the amended citizenship law as nothing against the Indian Muslims. He has said that people belonging to any religion should not have any fear under the Modi government as he asserted that the Citizenship Amendment Act would give relief to those minorities who have been living a painful life after facing persecution in neighbouring countries.
Amit Shah has also said that the Modi government will definitely implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the country and when it will be done, not a single illegal immigrant will remain in the country.
Speaking at the Lok Sabha during the CAA debate, Amit Shah had said, “When we introduce the all-India NRC, we will bring it to this House and then we can hold a discussion on it. Don’t try to connect the citizenship bill with NRC. Maan ke chaliye NRC aane wala hai (But you should keep this in mind that NRC is about to come).”
Earlier in December, while addressing an election rally in Jharkhand, Amit Shah had even set a deadline to implement NRC across the country. Amit Shah said the government would expel all infiltrators before the next Lok Sabha election which is scheduled for 2024.