‘CAA does not cancel…’: Govt issues statement for 18 crore Indian Muslims amid protests

CAA implemented in India: Day after bringing the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act into force, the Ministry of Home Affairs have said that Muslims in India will have as much rights as their Hindu counterparts. The Indian government issued an official statement to this effect, where the Centre has said that Indian Muslims needs not worry about Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019. 

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on Monday, 11 March implemented the CAA in India. Wednesday saw protests erupt in several places around the country. 

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To allay fears of discrimination against Muslims in India, the MHA released a statement saying 18 crore Indian Muslims have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts and no citizen would be asked to produce any documents to prove his citizenship.

"Indian Muslims need not worry as CAA has not made any provision to impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the present 18 crore Indian Muslims, who have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts. No Indian citizen would be asked to produce any document to prove his citizenship after this Act," the ministry said in the statement.

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The government said due to the persecution of minorities in some Muslim countries, "the name of Islam was badly tarnished".

"However, Islam, being a peaceful religion, never preaches or suggests hatred/violence/any persecution on religious grounds. This Act, showing compassion and compensation for the persecution, protects Islam from being tarnished in the name of persecution," it added.

The government said the concern of a section of the people that CAA is against Muslims is "unjustifiable".

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"India does not have any pact or agreement with any of these countries to repatriate migrants back to these countries. This Citizenship Act doesn’t deal with the deportation of illegal immigrants and therefore the concern of a Section of the people including Muslims and students that CAA is against Muslim Minorities is unjustifiable," it added.

The Centre said the Act doesn't prevent any Muslim, who is persecuted for practising his religion in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, from applying for Indian citizenship.

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"CAA does not cancel the naturalisation laws. Therefore, any person including the Muslim migrants from any foreign country, seeking to be an Indian citizen, can apply for the same under the existing laws. This Act does not prevent any Muslim, who is persecuted in those 3 Islamic countries for practicing their version of Islam, from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws," the government said.

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Earlier today, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah said that CAA does not aim to snatch away any person's citizenship. "Owaisi, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi are lying that minorities will lose citizenship due to CAA," Amit Shah said at a rally in Hyderabad.