Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Act will not "revoke anyone's citizenship", but rather will "give citizenship".
"After independence, Mahatma Gandhi ji and other big leaders of the time all believed that India should give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan," he said, during an address in West Bengal.
Modi who is on a two-day visit to Kolkata added that while "you (the audience) understood this very clearly, those playing political games purposely refuse to understand".
People are being misled over the Citizenship Amendment Act, he said.
Speaking on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, which is also celebrated as Youth Day, Modi said that although five years ago, "there was disappointment among the youth of the country", that situation has changed now.
"The youth might understand the Citizenship Amendment Act, but those who want to indulge in politics over it will not," he said.
Earlier on Sunday morning, Modi paid tribute to Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary at the Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission.
Modi, who became the first Prime Minister to stay overnight at the Math in neighbouring Howrah district, woke up early on Sunday and visited the temple of Swami Vivekananda to pay respect to the spiritual leader, Mission officials said.
The Prime Minister then visited the main temple building and paid tribute to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, they said.
"The last time I came here, I had taken the blessings of Swami Atmasthanandaji. Today he is not physically present with us. But his work, his path, will always guide us in the form of Ramakrishna Mission," Modi said.
The Prime Minister was received by senior monks of the order after he reached Belur Math on Saturday evening, taking the river route from Kolkata.
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(With inputs from agencies)
