New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that misinformation is being spread about the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 that it is against Muslims of India.
He asserted that the Narendra Modi government is working according to the Constitution and minorities will get full protection.
"Misinformation has been spread that this bill is against Muslims of India. I want to ask the people saying this how is this bill related to Indian Muslims?
They are Indian citizens and will always remain, no discrimination against them," Shah said in Rajya Sabha today where the Citizenship Bill was tabled.
"No Muslim in India needs to worry due to this Bill. Don't get scared if someone tries to scare you. This is Narendra Modi's Govt working according to Constitution and minorities will get full protection," he said.
Shah continued, "How will we give citizenship to Muslims coming from all over the world? How will the country function? This is for only religious minorities in three nations."
Shah also said that anyone from these religious minorities came to India before or the next day December 31, 2014, they will not have to face legal proceedings.
He also said that there has been a 20 per cent decline in the population of religious minorities in each Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"This bill would give hope to people who were living a miserable life. There has been an almost 20 per cent decline each in the population of religious minorities in both Pakistan and present-day Bangladesh.
Either they were killed, changed their religion or they fled to India for shelter to save themselves and their religion," Shah said in the Upper House.
"They did not get citizenship, rights to buy houses, and education, jobs. This Bill would give rights to those persecuted minorities," he said.
The minister said that his party BJP had mentioned it as one of their election promises."During elections, we made the announcement (about Bill). People gave the mandate for this," he said.
Shah said that there are provisions in the CAB to preserve the rights of northeastern states, language, culture, and social identity provisions.
The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
Opposition parties including Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK are protesting against the bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday with a majority of 311 votes against 80 in the Lower House where 391 members were present and voted.
In the 245-member Rajya Sabha, the halfway mark is currently 121 as five seats are vacant bringing down the strength of the House to 240.
