Chidambaram questions Amit Shah over CAA, slams him for challenging Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said that Home Minister Amit Shah did not answer a single question on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Parliament and now he wants to challenge Rahul Gandhi for a debate on it. Speaking at an event on Friday, Shah slammed the Congress for spreading rumours and challenged Rahul Gandhi to show even one clause in the act that has provision for taking away the citizenship of anyone.

Speaking to ANI at an anti-CAA protest, Chidamabaram lashed out at Amit Shah for being ignorant about the newly amended law in the parliament.

"Amit Shah must go back and listen to the debates in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, he did not answer a single question and now he is challenging Rahul Gandhi for a debate on it. Everything is wrong about this law," Chidambaram said.

"This is an important moment in India's history. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was approved on December 8 by the Union Cabinet. On December 9, they introduced it in Lok Sabha and passed it at 12 am. On December 11, they introduced it in Rajya Sabha. In the Constituent Assembly, the members discussed the Citizenship bill for two months and the present government passed this bill in three days," he added.

Chidambaram further said that many people have come out on the streets to protest against the law.

"Thousands of students and young people came to the streets. The majority of the persons who came on to the streets are Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Jain, Parsis, Dalits, and tribals," he said.

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Amit Shah challenges Rahul Gandhi

Speaking at the event Shah said, "Congress and company are spreading the rumour that the citizenship of minority people will be lost due to the Citizenship Amendment Act. I challenge Rahul Baba from here to show even one clause in the act that has provision for taking away the citizenship of anyone." 

He added, "I would like to tell the citizens of the country that this Act does not have any provision to take away anyone's citizenship. It only gives citizenship to minorities coming from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan."

"I appeal the Congress to not spread any rumours to disrupt peace in the country and stop misleading the citizens. Otherwise,  if you have any facts, then prove it. Come out and show the provision in the Act that according to you takes away citizenship," said the Union Home Minister. 

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(With Inputs from ANI)