SAD takes U-turn on CAA amid Afghanistan crisis; demands to extend cut-off date to 2021

Amid India's ongoing evacuation from Afghanistan, Shiromani Akali Dal (S) has w taken a major turn in its approach towards Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as it has asked Centre to extend cut-off date of Act. S leer and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Manment Committee President Manjinder S Sirsa on Tuesday, 24 August, requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to amend act and extend date from 2014 to 2021 in wake of Afghanistan crisis. 

Demanding government to consider Afghan crisis as a reason to extend cut-off date, Manjinder S Sirsa said, “I request PM and HM to amend CAA and extend cut-off date from 2014 to 2021 so that people coming from Afghanistan get benefitted and le a safe life here and ir children are able to study here.” request to extend date of Act comes as a part approval of same as Akalis h earlier slammed bill. 

BJP takes a jibe at S for switching stance on CAA

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party, who has been vocal against opposition for CAA, took a jibe at S for changing its stance. Amit Malviya, national in-charge of BJP's Information and Techlogy department, hit out at Manjinder S Sirsa for taking U-turn in his decision to oppose CAA. “From opposing CAA to asking for an extension of CAA cut-off date, even anti-CAA brige w ackwledges importance of humanitarian CAA legislation. Congress and Akalis h supported anti-CAA resolution in Punjab Assembly,” Malviya tweeted.

Sirsa, while sharing a video of Indians stranded at Kabul airport, h asked government to work on safe evacuation of people from war-torn country. Meanwhile, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday backed controversial CAA and said that Taliban crisis was an example of why country needs act. "Recent developments in our volatile neighbourhood and way Sikhs and Hindus are going through a harrowing time are precisely why it was necessary to enact Citizenship Amendment Act," Puri h tweeted.

What is CAA?

Citizenship (Amendment) Act amends previous Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Banglesh, and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. Moreover, Act exempts inner line permit areas in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Presh and areas falling under Sixth Schedule in regions. It will be applicable to members of se communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. 

(With ANI inputs)
(IM: PTI)