Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday, 5 May, that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) "is, was, and will remain" a reality and be implemented as soon as the COVID-19 wave ends.
Addressing a rally in Siliguri, West Bengal, Amit Shah said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress was spreading rumours that the new citizenship law would not be implemented.
"I have come to North Bengal today. I want to make it clear that the Trinamool Congress is spreading rumours that the CAA will not be implemented. I want to say that as soon as the COVID wave abates, we will implement CAA on the ground," Amit Shah said.
"CAA was a reality and it will remain a reality and the Trinamool cannot do anything about it," he added.
According to NDTV, Mamata Banerjee reacted instantly to Amit Shah's statement and said, "This is their plan. Why are they not bringing the bill to Parliament? They are not coming in 2024, I am telling you. We don't want any citizens' rights to suffer. Unity is our strength. He has come after one year. Har baar aate hain, ganda baat karte hain (Every time they come, they talk rubbish)," she said.
She added, "The CAA Bill has lapsed...Today, he came here to infiltrate BSF into the political field," news agency ANI reported.
Background
India saw widespread protests across the country in late 2019 and early 2020 over the passage of the Act, which amends the definition of an illegal immigrant for Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who have lived in India without documentation.
The act grants fast-track Indian citizenship in six years instead of the earlier required criteria of 12 years for naturalisation.
(With inputs from NDTV and ANI.)
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