New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched an attack on the PM Narendra Modi government on Monday for notifying the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which paves the way for the law’s implementation across the country. He alleged that the CAA has been brought before the elections at a time when unemployed youth are struggling for employment.
In a post on ‘X’, CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “After ruling the country for ten years, the Modi government has brought CAA before the elections. At a time when the poor and middle class are groaning due to inflation and unemployed youth are struggling from door to door for employment, instead of solving these real issues, the BJP has brought CAA.”
Delhi Chief Minister asked the centre who would provide jobs to migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. “They are saying that minorities from three neighbouring countries will be given citizenship in India. That means they want to bring people from neighbouring countries to India and settle them here. Why? To create their vote bank. When our youth do not have employment then who will provide employment to the people coming from neighboring countries? Who will build a house for them? Will the BJP provide them employment? Will BJP build a house for them?” Kejriwal said.
He alleged that in the last ten years, more than 11 lakh businessmen and industrialists, who were disgusted with the policies of the centre left the country. “Instead of bringing them back, they want to bring the poor from neighbouring countries and settle them in India. Why? Just to create their vote bank?” he further said.
He said that the BJP is probably the only party in the world that is bringing the poor from other countries to India despite the locals not getting jobs here. He said that the entire country opposes CAA. “First give jobs to our children, first give houses to our people. Then bring people from other countries to our country. Every country in the whole world stops the poor from other countries from coming to their country because it reduces the employment of the local people. BJP is probably the only party in the world that is doing this dirty politics to make the poor of neighbouring countries its vote bank. This is against the country,” he further said.
He said that this bill is strongly opposed especially by the people of Assam and the entire North-Eastern India, who have been victims due to migration from Bangladesh and whose language and culture are in danger today. “BJP has betrayed the people of Assam and the entire North Eastern states. People will answer this in the Lok Sabha elections,” he added in his post.
Under the CAA, non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who had fled to India due to religious persecution and settled in the country before 2014 were promised citizenship. A spokesperson for the Home Ministry said that eligible individuals could submit applications in “a completely online mode”. “No other documentation will be sought from the applicants,” the MHA added.
Implementation of the CAA was a major campaign platform for the BJP before the 2019 election. Home Minister Amit Shah, on multiple occasions, said that CAA rules would be notified ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to be held in April-May.
The CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants – including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians – who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent Presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country. As per an official, the CAA law can be put into action with the issuance of MHA notification, allowing eligible individuals to obtain Indian citizenship.
The implementation of the CAA, which has been delayed for over four years, necessitates the formulation of its associated rules. “The regulations are prepared, and an online portal is already set up for the entire process, which will be conducted digitally. Applicants will need to disclose the year of their entry into India without any travel documents. No additional documentation will be required from the applicants,” stated the official. (ANI)
